Sixties magic

THE Village Hall was rocking in the aisles on Saturday night, a good indication of what locals made of two nights of entertainment by Quorn Phoenix Entertainers.

The Swingin’ Sixties was the group’s spring offering, complementing its annual pantomime.

Music and comedy from this most iconic of decades were delivered in characteristic fashion.

This is a group made up of vintage wine rather than bubbling young talent although, as always, it was great see some youthful faces among the 20-strong cast.

Among the sketches, England’s 1966 World Cup win was recalled in an ingenious way and Monty Python’s never-tobe-forgotten spam sketch was given a clever local flavour with Quorn also on the menu.

Alan Bennett’s Take a Pew, laced with irony, was a post interval highlight, along with those work-shy ladies from the Rag Trade and a welcome return for Inspector Dixon of Dock Green.

There was no shortage of classics among the musical pieces either, such as Sweet Caroline, That’s Life and Liverpool Lullaby.

All rounded off with a rousing rendition of Lily the Pink and I saw her standing there that got many of the audience off their feet on both nights.

No word yet on Phoenix’s choice of panto but, in the words of Python, be ready once more ‘for something completely different’.

Phoenix are indeed a much different offering from the rest of the area’s often brilliant ‘am dram’ community and long may they continue…

John Brindley