PANTO SEASON: BEHIND THE SCENES - Thursdays

November has taken on a special meaning for Cubbington Players over the past few years. As the leaves fall from the trees, the nights grow longer and the fireworks illuminate the sky, for the amateur thespian of Cubbington, it all means only one thing: Thursday Rehearsals.

Midweek rehearsals have always formed a part of the Cubbington routine. However, it was only recently - comparatively speaking - that they became such a major part of the commitment which each member makes to any given production, and particularly to the pantomime.

For many people, giving up just one evening a week to stand around draughty halls and pretend to be other people is difficult enough. To give up two requires the sort of dedication not normally found at this level.

From November, the Cubbington Players week divides very cleanly into two different parts. Monday nights are, by and large, spent rehearsing scenes or sections of scenes. Thursdays are for the more technical aspects - specific routines, songs and the all-important 'front of tabs' sections, where the action moves to the front of the stage, to allow the scenery to be changed behind the curtains. For example, the very first Thursday is spent working out a complicated routine where Maid Marian is tied up by the Sheriff's henchmen and then escapes. Other Thursdays are devoted to working out a complex slapstick routine, a dance sequence and, of course, the eight songs which pepper the script.

For those who think that 'amateur' is synonymous with 'unprofessional', you should look behind the scenes before you comment. It is only when you get close to these people that you realise just how hard they work.