Meet Bedworth’s answer to the Von Trapps!

Meet Bedworth’s answer to the Von Trapps!

Postby dutchman » Sat Jan 18, 2014 4:11 pm

They've done for pantomime what the Von Trapps achieved for cinema attendances from mid-1960s until today.

Image
Roddy, Maureen and Cerys

Audiences of every age who have come to see entertainment across a host of theatrical locations in Nuneaton and Bedworth over the last half century will have laughed, booed or hissed at one of their performances.

And as Nuneaton Pantomime and Revue Society prepares to celebrate 50 years of injecting mirth and musical merriment into everyday existence – one name will shine through the pages of the programme for next week’s production of Cinderella at Bedworth Civic Hall.

The Hardys have been THE act to follow as the society now finds itself one show away from the magical 100 mark.

Reflecting on the golden anniversary years, chairman Andy Hardy, 44, and his twin sister Julie have followed in the fun-filled footsteps of dad Rodney and mum Maureen.

Julie’s children, Roddy, nine, and Cerys, four, are making it a third generation game now.

“It’s been a family-orientated society which has prided itself in providing first-class entertainment – for all the family,” said Andy.

Started by husband-and-wife pairs Les and Beryl Millington and Stan and Iris Smith, through the years – apart from the Hardys – the society has also been blessed with excellent service by the musical maestros David and Liz Lloyd, the Wings and the Hill family.

Rodney and Maureen Hardy made their centre stage entrance in the 1967 panto Robin Hood & His Merry Men – just three years after the society was formed at the old Catholic Club in Coton Road, Nuneaton.

The first production Autumn Antics was staged at the St George’s Hall followed by the inaugural pantomime Robinson Crusoe in January 1965.

The society mixed pantos with Minstrel revues in the early days before settling on a January show of mimicry followed by a mid-year musical.

NPRS have enjoyed four theatrical homes in their golden period – St George’s Hall from 1964-1967; the Ritz cinema from 1967-78; Abbey Arts Centre 1978-82 and Bedworth Civic Hall from 1982 until the present day. The Hardy twins joined their parents in the 1970s – Andy starting in January 1978 for Humpty Dumpty – a year after Julie had made her debut in Aladdin.

He now holds the record for being in more productions than any other member of the cast. “Although I began slightly later than my sister - I’ve been in the most shows as she’s had quite a bit of time off for maternity leave,” he joked.

Behind the greasepaint, baggy trousers and outrageous hairdos, the Hardys were the life and soul of the society.

As well as main parts in the pantos, dad Rodney had three stints as chairman over a 20-year period but wife Maureen and her two children, as well as the whole society, were left stunned in 1993 – having to come to terms with his sudden death.

But the family was determined that his quarter of a century at the sharp end of the society’s business would not be in vain.

They stayed totally loyal to the cause despite the tragedy. Today, mum’s still the ticket secretary; Julie and her children are treading the boards; while Andy’s clocked up 17 years at the helm of the society as well as enjoying numerous panto parts.

In fact a ‘Hardy’ has been chairman for 38 of the 50 years of its existence.

Andy Hardy, whose job as chief executive at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire gives him a fair share of daytime drama, believes the borough’s panto society has given hundreds of young people their first opportunity of being on stage.

“It’s also a chance for the local public to see pantomime at first hand,” he said.

“There was only us around 50 years ago although now we co-exist with two or three other societies. They are all giving the art of pantomime a slightly different slant.”

The panto runs at Bedworth Civic Hall from Thursday, January 23 to Saturday, January 25 at 7.30pm with a matinee at 2.30pm on the Saturday afternoon.

Tickets are £11 for adults and £9 (concessions).

To book seats, contact the Box Office at the Civic Hall on 024 7637 6707 or hotline 07900 452306 or log on to http://www.nuneatonpantomimeandrevuesoceity.co.uk for all the details.

Image
User avatar
dutchman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 50286
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:24 am
Location: Spon End

Return to Stage

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

  • Ads