Winchcombe Prepares for First Pantomime in Three Decades Following Arts Venue Opening

Winchcombe is preparing to host its inaugural pantomime in three decades, an event made possible by the recent establishment of an arts venue. The Isbourne Arts center, situated in a former church, commenced operations earlier this year following a 16-month fundraising initiative. The Winchcombe Players, a newly established theatre group, is currently rehearsing for its debut pantomime production, Cinderella. According to Dave Wade of the Gloucestershire art centre, Winchcombe was, until this year, “probably the largest town in England” without a dedicated performance stage. Penny Kain, the director, expressed surprise at the extent of Winchcombe’s “so much talent” and anticipates the upcoming performance will be “absolutely marvellous.” Regarding the cast, Kain mentioned, “One of the ugly sisters is well over 6ft (1.8m), used to be in the army, holds himself beautifully, but is inclined to take a 36in (91cm) stride I’m hoping to put him into high heels so he takes smaller steps,” she added. Helen Mcllveen, a member of the theatre team, commented that the “beautiful” hall has preserved some of its original characteristics from its time as a church. Mcllveen further explained, “We are very lucky to have a stage and it’s quite heavy, so we have a squad of volunteers on hand to move and shift it around.” She added, “There’s still lots of capital work to do. We want it to be really professional.” Mr. Wade also noted that the church congregation vacated the premises in 2022, citing excessive heating expenses. For updates, follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for material on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.