THE New Theatre and the Playhouse aren’t the only places in Oxfordshire where pantomimes have been staged.

Many schools and amateur groups have entertained audiences over the years with their productions of fantasy tales.

Children at Headington Quarry Primary School in Oxford performed Dick Whittington 1974 style, with a cast of 63 children drawn from two classes.

Some of them are seen in Picture One polishing their performance at the dress rehearsal. The Oxford Mail reported: “The pantomime story is given a few local twists and makes marvellous entertainment.

“According to headmaster, Mr J Riegen, some of the jokes might have been above the children’s heads, with their references to local people and events.

“But the play helped the children’s speech and confidence – and, after all, it was just good fun.”

Scouts, Cubs, Guides and Brownies combined to entertain relatives and friends with Robin Hood and his Merry Men in 1986.

Thirty members of the 16th Oxford Scouts and Cubs and 1st Headington Guides and Brownies were on stage for three nights at Collinwood Road Church hall in Risinghurst. The performances were the culmination of three months of rehearsals..

In an unusual storyline, Robin’s arch rival, the Sheriff of Nottingham, ended up marrying a witch in mistake for Maid Marian.

But it all worked out properly in the end, with Robin, played by Robert Tutton, 14, seen in Picture Two, getting his girl and living happily with his merry men.

Picture Three shows a scene from the production of Cinderella by the Appleton Players in 1992, written and directed by villager Mo Almer. Fellow villager John Blake, who sent in the picture, tells me: “The Appleton Players have been producing plays for 30 years and have brought a great community spirit into the village.”