A First Fiesta Experience

In 1973 while I was at secondary school, I somehow (I honestly can’t remember how!) became aware of the availability of some part-time, paid work. I was to report to the Fiesta Club where I was set-on as a stage-hand and follow-spot operator for the upcoming pantomime season.

The stage-manager, one Ron Annible took charge of the umpromising raw recruits and ensured we all knew what was needed and expected. I remember as we all sat in a group, he leaned over onto one side and let-rip an enormous fart! He explained this as “That’s what happens when you eat Fiesta chips!”. I can assure you, that in the years that followed, I ate many Fiesta chips and still live to tell the tale!

The Christmas panto “Babes in the Wood” starred Carol Asti as The Good Fairy Sunbeam, Ann Barclay as The Bad Witch Hecarte, Isabel Duncan ans Robin Hood, Alan Vicars asDame Trot,Roy Earl as the Sherrif, and “The Robbers” were played by Mike Barclay and Johnny Mans.

“The Babes” were played by an alternating 'shift' of Dawn Hancock, Jane Woodhouse, Alison Leverton and Jayne Copley. Members of the Constance Grant School of Dance played the village boys and girls, under the direction of “Miss Judy” (Judith Sylvester). The younger ones played the village children, while the older dancers were the villagers. The older girls also performed a routine to the music Red Sails in the Sunset involving many feathers, lots of glitter and quite a bit of flesh on display. This was quite an experience for me as a very naive 16-year-old.

I was massively excited by the whole show-biz thing. I absolutely fell in love with the environment, the team-working, and all things to do with producing and running a show - especially the technical stuff. Learning about stage lighting equipment, dimmers, control desks, microphones and amplifiers etc. was infinitely more interesting than my physics, biology and chemistry lessons at school!

Rumour had it, that the “Good Fairy Sunbeam” was “a bit” pregnant by the end of the panto’s run! Morning sickness was apparently responsible for a couple of late starts of the panto.

Ron Annible, the stage manager, picked-up on my obvious interest and was extremely nurturing, being very willing to take the time to explain how things worked and involve me when he performed maintenance work etc.