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Alexandra Theatre - Simple Simon Pantomime 1947

Simon68

master brummie
Hi everyone, it’s Simon again

Picked up yet another token, when you see it, you will realise I couldn’t resist it.

its around 40mm in diameter and made by W Reeves & Co Ltd of Tenby Street

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I went to a number of pantomimes and Christmas events at around that time, and earlier. I was 11. Normally at the Theatre Royal or the Alexandra, sometimes the Rep. But if I went to this one, I don’t remember anything about it. Possibly because it didn’t seem to have any famous names in it, people I had seen before like Jack Buchanan, Fred Emney and Lupino Lane.

But the mention of the Aston Babes in the press cutting did make me think of one pantomime I went to (and it MIGHT have been this one) when at some stage of the production a whole troupe of small girls did a dance number. Their appearance on the stage drew a sort of “Oh, AREN’T they sweet“ reaction from the audience. And they certainly did look young and pretty and sweet to me.

So I was a bit shaken when I found myself rubbing shoulders with two or three of them in the foyer afterwards. They were still in full costume and warpaint and were probably waiting to be picked up by their mums and dads. I realised that, tiny as they had appeared on stage, they were a good head taller than I. (But I’m sure they were just as sweet as they had looked).

Never wholly trusted anything I saw on stage after that. But it didn’t really matter anyway. I was already deeply in love with A.N. Other - of my own height and wearing no make-up - at the time......

Chris
 
Thank you everyone for the information and recollections.

I found this on the BBC Home Service website that in the BBC Radio Times at 7pm on Friday 7th February 1947, they aired an extract from the pantomime on the BBC World Service. Nice photo in top right corner of some of the performers.

For those old enough to know, Naughton and Gold were members of The Crazy Gang right up until the early 1960’s.
 

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