Players gonna play Q&A with The Lindley Players’ Chairman

For this issue CommunityAd had the pleasure of a chat with Chairman Nick Farrow ahead of Panto season, ‘oh no you didn’t… oh yes we did’. Nick has only been Chairman of the Lindley Players since April but previously had several years as Vice Chairman and, therefore, knows everything there is to know about this outstanding group and is relishing being at the helm of it.

So, Nick, what do you enjoy most about the role of Chairman?
The Lindley Players is really two organisations in one. We stage around seven of our own shows each year (including some put on by our very active Youth Group) which involves everything that is needed to stage a live production including play selection, set design and build, casting, rehearsals, costumes, lighting and sound design, props, advertising and ticket sales and then, during the run, Front Of House and bar operations. The second part of the organisation is that, because we own and operate our 180-seat theatre, there is a significant amount of work involved in maintaining and operating the building and investing in technical upgrades to our facilities.

This why the chairman’s role is so satisfying as we are totally in control of what we do and it covers many different aspects, both dramatic and technical. Much of the work we do in the building is carried out by our own skilled members as this allows us to get control of the quality of what we do. As all our members are volunteers, there are no salaries to pay and therefore, by and large, we can spend as much time as we wish to get things ‘right’.

Because we have the building and very good facilities, we have many external organisations and bands that hire the theatre for one night or longer. This makes for a very interesting mix of entertainment. If that wasn’t enough, we are also a venue for National Theatre Live stage broadcasts so screen all of the NT Live output.

Why should our readers be pencilling the 16th January – 26th January firmly in the diaries?

Because it’s the Lindley’s annual pantomime! Oh yes it is! Our pantomimes are very popular and are usually, virtually sold out for the run (the matinees always are). Our theatre is a very intimate one, so there is always great audience participation with the pantomime characters. Ticket sales started on Dec 7th at 8am for personal callers and 12 noon for online and telephone sales. Some hardy souls camp outside the theatre all night, despite it being the middle of winter, to ensure they get their preferred seats. This year’s pantomime is The Stolen Princess which goes something like: There’s evil afoot in Pantoland as characters are mysteriously vanishing from all the pantos. When Princess Aurora becomes the latest to disappear, the King decides a search-and-rescue mission is needed, involving Jack the hero of the Beanstalk and Prince Valiant, the hero of his own imagination. Will they succeed? Should they even bother, since she’s not that nice a princess anyway? Will everyone live happily ever after? Or even for a while?

What is it about the panto that is so quintessentially British?

It’s the combination of funny scenes with dialogue and script that appeals to children of all ages including adults. It’s also one of the few genres of stage productions where audience participation is both expected and essential.

What makes the community of Whitstable such a pleasant one?

Whitstable is a fascinating town with its own working fishing harbour, many great restaurants, art galleries and shops, beaches and promenades and, of course, its own live theatre. There is always something going on for visitors and it is a very popular resort these days. You can’t beat being in a seaside resort and eating local produce on the beach. We even have a pub which is sited on the beach.

How crucial are the arts for communities such as ours, we’re truly blessed to have a fully functioning theatre on our doorstop aren’t we?

I think the arts give a great sense of purpose for a community and attracts many diverse cultures and personalities which is what makes a great town. The Lindley Players was started post WW2 following a request from the local vicar to do something to bring people together after the years of conflict and rationing. I like to

think this is still as true today as it was then. 

Could it be argued that Panto is the antidote to Brexit?

It’s probably the antidote to everything in normal life. It’s a few hours of pure escapism where you forgot about everything but the sights and sounds that occupy all of your senses. You just can’t beat the live stage for entertainment, particularly as it doesn’t always go quite according to plan. As an example, during a production we did a few years ago, involving a prison ship with a cell, the ‘lock’ on the cell door broke which made it impossible to open the door anymore. The cell door was also the only way to get into or out of that scene so some of the cast were temporarily marooned to say the least. The brilliant cast quickly decided to move a bit of scenery that was never supposed to move (as it was the side of the ship) and make some very timely jokes about it as well. The audiences both appreciate and love this sort of, sometimes inevitable, live problem. I won’t reveal who built the bit of scenery which failed but suffice to say I did learn a lesson about making locks.

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