South Yorkshire Times, January 27th 1951

Kilnhurst Back-Stage Men Prepare for Panto

The customary quietude of Mexborough Royal Theatre after the last house film performance on Saturday will be missing. Patrons leaving will pass a small group of men making their way towards the stage, whose interest for a few hours will have nothing to do with films. Led by chairman Charles Call and producer Tom Bamford, these members of Kilnhurst Amateur Theatrical Society will voluntarily be missing a night’s sleep so that the full dress rehearsal of their production of “Babes in the Wood,” arranged for Sunday, will not be delayed.

Second Shift

And when this overnight work on the erection of a nine-foot tubular steel extension to the stage is completed, a second “shift” will move in on Sunday morning to place scenery in position.

The stage extension is necessary because of peculiar shape of the original stage, and the work must be of tubular steel for lire prevention purposes.

The Company are presenting the pantomime for a week commencing on Monday, and the “South Yorkshire Times” understands that, assuming this “outside” venture is a success, the Society have definite plans for an annual performance in Mexborough, These plans, however, will not be to the detriment of other groups in the town, and should, say, the South Yorkshire Musical Comedy Society decide to present a pantomime in Mexborough, the Kilnhurst Society wilt observe , a “gentlemen’s agreement” and keep out.

Such is Kilnhurst success in the past in this field, however, that it would be unfortunate to deprive Mexborough of at least one full-scale pantomime in a year.

Leading the cast as principal boy will be 18-years-old Beryl Jones, a Swinton N.C.B. shorthand typist. and there is strong support from Doreen Ward as “Will Scarlett,” Aileen  (Maid Marlan)t, Ron Birks (Dame Ermintrude), Bill Sherley (Little John) and Violet Sugden (Fairy Goodee).