Living Advent Calendar Day 20: Pantomime at the Kenton

The Kenton Theatre hosted the 20th day of the Living Advent Calendar with song, dance and pantomime.

The event was sponsored by Blue Peak Accounting, to raise money for the New Street theatre described as a “special part of Henley” by Calendar chairman Richard Rodway.

Actors from the theatre’s latest production, Aladdin, burst into energetic song and dance to Junior Senior’s aptly named Move Your Feet.

Afterwards, pantomime dame Widow Twankey (William Hazell) and her on-stage son Wishee Washee (Tommy Pegg) were introduced.

Bemoaning their hardships and struggling laundry business, the duo took part in wordplay as per pantomime tradition, with Wishee Washee reprimanding his mother for a trip to the local Waitrose and to eye male customers.

The audience joined in with their feud.

A Jingle Bells singalong also took place for the “inaugural Kenton Theatre Living Advent Calendar song competition”. Twankey said: “You’re all winners!”

The raffle was held with a “begrudging round of applause” for the first winner, Rodway jokingly said, on what was now the “stage of dreams” (in a transformation from the previous day’s “table of dreams”).

Mr Rodway and Blue Peak co-owner and director Catherine Bond drew the remaining tickets for a trampolining voucher, mince pies, candle sets and wine.

Ms Bond said: “Before we start, can I just say that I’ve never been on stage before? Good evening, Henley!”