By Betsy Everett
When Amy Cockett makes her director’s debut with the Wensleydale Music and Theatre Group’s forthcoming Christmas pantomime she knows she will have big shoes to fill.
For Amy is the daughter-in-law of the late John Cockett who revived the former Hawes Operatic Society nearly 60 years ago and directed them for 30 years. Married to John’s younger son, Dan, she famously played the gaoler’s daughter in the 2015 pantomime, Wind in the Willows, while nine months pregnant.
The company won the National Operatic and Drama Association north region’s Performance Award 2016 for that production, despite its being staged entirely by torchlight in a power cut on the night storm Desmond hit.
The story continues after the adverts . . .
As this year’s production, Dick Whittington and The Caribbean Pirates, hits the stage under Amy’s direction in late November she has another baby due a few weeks later. As a member of the company Amy has also played Princess Jasmine in Aladdin (2014) and the title role in last year’s Cinderella.
At Hopper’s sale on Saturday the theatre group raised more than £500 towards the cost of the pantomime which will be performed in the Market House, Hawes, each night at 7.30pm from Tuesday, November 28 to Friday 1 December, with an additional performance at 2pm on Sunday, December 3.
The first read-through will start at 7.30pm on Tuesday, September 5, at the GTec building on Hawes industrial estate, with casting later that week. Anyone interested in taking part or helping back stage is welcome to attend. See the company’s Facebook page for details.
