Treading the boards along with the Fairy Queens and Witches in 1959

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Mid Sussex has produced its fair share of decent actors and actresses.

You have to wonder, though, if the likes of The Tudors star Tamzin Merchant or Emmerdale actor Mathew Bose have had anywhere near as much fun as these amateur thespians from 1959.

Both photos were published in the Mid Sussex Times in January of that year.

The first shows some of the men of the Weald Theatre Group bringing their own, somewhat unusual, interpretation to the tale of Little Red Riding Hood.

This was their 16th such pantomime and they divided the proceeds between the League of Friends at Cuckfield Hospital, and the Cuckfield Urban District Old People’s Welfare Committee.

The show starred Bill Stevens as The Baron – a thoroughly bad sort who attempted to get rid of his ward, Red Riding Hood, for financial gain.

Luckily, his wicked plan was thwarted by the Fairy Queen – played by Trudie Jagger – and Prince Charming – played by Judy Ellmer. This was panto, after all, and what would panto be without a young woman playing the role of a dashing male hero?