Ardnamurchan High performs festive pantomime

Pupils and staff of Ardnamurchan High School performed at two very well attended evenings with this year’s pantomime, ‘Jack and his Amazing Multi-coloured Beanstalk’.

Head Teacher, Christopher Millar-Craig ended the evening with a vote of thanks, saying how proud he was of the young people of Ardnamurchan High School and a special thank you to Stage Director, Mrs Kennedy and Musical Director, Miss Anderson.

Jack, played by Janie Paterson tried valiantly to become a Prince (as a career option) while the beautiful princess (played by Hannah Hunter) preferred Jack’s imaginary friend, Raymond, played by no-one!

Jack’s Mother, played by Ruby Sansom despaired that anything good would come of her dreamy son. The evil Baron Smug, played by Emma Cameron oozed perfected scurrilousness while her two henchmen Kutt and Thrust (Grace Fletcher and Kay Christian) did his dirty work.

A cameo appearance by Baron Smug’s mother played by Head Teacher, Mr Millar-Craig and by the panto-police, played by Depute Head Simon Patterson, gave the perfect opportunity for the compulsory sharing of sweets with the audience.

Jack’s sister, Lizzie and boyfriend, Zac (Charlie-Anne Pleming and Rona Nicolson) tried to be helpful in various ways, including being cool, but failed to sell the family cow, played by S6 pupils Jordan MacLachlan and Cameron Bolton.

The storyline was expertly kept on track by the long suffering narrator, Niamh MacLellan. The Old Lady with magic powers played by Jean Campbell in true pantomime style made everything right and good in the end so that the evening could end with rapturous applause.

Other cast members, expertly played were, Jack’s grumpy Grandad (Annie Mac Donald – suitably grumpy), the Postman (Sam Docker), the Auctioneer (Rachel Bolton – also failed to sell the cow!), Vet (Rachel White – failed to immunise the cow!), farmers (Bethan White, Mitchell MacPherson and Reuben Stewart), and Gremlins played by Claire Ford, Ruby Tilling, Christina Findlay, Rebekah Connolly, Lilijana Alexander and Alistair Tait.

Solos were performed by Hannah Hunter, Janie Paterson, Emma Cameron, Kathleen Robertson, Rachel Bolton, Rebecca Connolly, Jean Campbell, Rona Nicolson and Charlie-Anne Pleming.

The performance was expertly supported by various teams, Make-Up, the Fantastic Panto Band, Backstage, lights and sound.