Not to be missed -the finest, local  evening’s entertainment you’ll get this year...

For weeks, mums, dads and friends in the local community have painted scenery, built props, sewn costumes, rehearsed music, sourced refreshments, made tickets, not to mention learnt lines for the now-famous annual school fundraiser ‘The Strand Pantomime’.

Strand believes it is the longest running primary school pantomime in the UK originating with some enterprising parents and teachers over 31 years ago, some of whom had backgrounds in the media and light entertainment industry.

Strand is flattered that other schools have since taken their lead, and similarly enthuse their youngsters, bringing local drama and the experience of live entertainment to many for whom it is often their first (and affordable) taste of theatre-going with their families.

They aim to reach as many of the local community around the school as possible, so if you wish to have great fun and a fine evening’s entertainment for a comparatively small outlay, then do purchase your tickets before they run out. Friday’s performances always get sold out extremely quickly and there’s a scramble for the last few every year.

The production is Ali Baba and if you like joining in, there is plenty of audience participation; otherwise, sit at the back, and watch the people in front of you do all the work.

Tickets are priced from just £2. The booking form can be found here and sent in to the schools’ offices ahead of time (cheques payable to Friends of Strand). All the money raised goes to the school charity for the purchase of interactive whiteboards and other educational equipment so whilst your money is going to a worthy cause you are also getting an evening’s entertainment back in return.

So go on, treat the family, save on the babysitting, buy your tickets, win at the raffle, you really have nothing to lose, do you?  What? won’t enjoy yourself? Oh ,… yes… you …will…