So how did the song and dance begin? Well it actually started with a one act play by Chekhov. How the mighty have fallen! The founder of TOOT or The Other Oxford Theatre moved in a few doors from me in 1976. He suggested putting on a play in the old village hall. I was involved with Kennington Overseas Aid (KOA) and so raised the possibility at one of our meetings. The KOA programme that year included a one act play by Chekhov. Those who took part enjoyed it and suggested we mount a similar entertainment in 1977. Since our professional producer had moved to Cornwall, it was down to me.

I wrote and produced ‘A Victorian Musical Extravanza’. The script was a bit of a disappointment after Chekhov but it gave birth to The Kenningtones Barbers Shop Sextet who have entertained KOA ever since. Sylvia Patterson made her first appearance in Kennington. Once again the performers had a good time. Mrs Vaux, a teacher at St Swithun’s Infant School suggested a Panto for the PTA. Gill Hedge and I set about gathering a cast. In 1978 various parents produced Cinderella. There was a sad feeling when the non existent curtain fell on the production so I suggested we form an amateur dramatic society. Those interested gathered together in my front room in Upper Road.

The result of that meeting was ‘Son of Ali Baba or The Beggers of Bagley Wood.’ We had a really talented writer for this script, an anaesthetist by the name of Andy Black. (Still involved in Am -dram but in Bristol) Another bright spark arose in the form of Shirley Jones who wrote the lyrics for the songs. Quite a few of the cast are still treading the boards 29 years later! The paper scenery and mostly rustled together costume was balanced by the humour and originality of the script. The wonderful Johnee Kirby played Mora Dis. She was married to my husband Atam who played Cousin Hussein .Their seven daughters were Hollerdese one of whom was Jasmin Dogar. Was this the inspiration that led to her promising writing career? Rebecca Martin was another who went on to make a career in music and one of Andy’s daughters Susie is now a professional actress. Rebecca’s father Philip was a wonderful Dame, Hussein’s mother appropriately called Lessa Dat. Roy King played Sir Piggy Wink, the Baron of Boars hill George Ross soon to be a dignified parish clerk played, I think, the back end of tenor David Goldsworthy’s camel. The very tall Jonathan King played the Fairy Queen. I believe Jonathan is still involved with music but as an organist in Witney. I played myself!

Talented Shirley Jones set about writing our summer show inspired by ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’. We called it’ An Oxfordshire Village, Past Present and Future.’ Again the sets were the best a financially poor organisation could manage but their amateur quality was well made up for by Shirley’s sparkling writing. It would be great to revive a slightly abridged version?