It is with anticipation that the Group looks forward to "Sinbad the Sailor", which we now think is our twenty fourth annual pantomime. Some stalwarts were sure that this would be our 25th but somehow we seem one bead short on the old abucus!

Like so many long running societies, the Ashley House Panto had small and humble beginnings. In fact, some years before the group started, the then residents of Ashley House were asked if they would help raise money for a planned holiday in France. The residents and assistant warden Ken Hatton planned a variety show which duly took place to, if not great success, certainly to much pleasure and amusement to actors and audiences alike. The holiday in France also went well, this was in 1963.

In 1972 Ashley House residents and friends finding time on their hands decided to repeat their foray into the world of entertainment. Ken Hatten was still assistant warden and, as he had some theatrical experience, was asked to do another show. After deliberation it was agreed that a pantomime would fit the bill. Ken wrote the script and directed "Aladdin" early in 1973 in the main hall at Ashley House. With costumes made from odds and ends and scenery painted on old strips of wallpaper, we made a brave sight as we stumbled over words and songs. Enough to say "Aladdin" finally won his princess and got his lamp back, wicked Abanazar was thwarted and everyone lived happily ever after - except Abanazar and he was booed away.

The next year came, the success of "Aladdin" had perhaps gone to some of our heads and the demand for another script for us to torture was so strong that Ken graciously agreed to write "Dick Whittington". By now the success of our previous show had brought forth offers of help and the Group was greatly enlarged. Although not everyone involved can obviously be named, Ron Carter was a great help in our early shows. Ron was the landlord of the Little Vic pub and had a great talent for writing songs. Although unable to read or write music, the songs he composed for our early shows were always just right for the plot and his help as our Musical Director was greatly appreciated.

Anyway young Whittington and his cat trotted off into history, only to appear many times again in our continuing lists of shows. By this time Ken was not a well man and he was not able to produce a script for the following year, but did manage to direct a revue "Winter Wonderland". Ken left Ashley House soon after, but the enthusiastic group he left at the House were keen to continue his good works and so, with not much to go on but enthusiasm and a couple of dozen sheets of foolscap, I wrote and directed "Snow White". The reason for this choice of panto was that it was not a common panto at that time and there were lots of strong characters in it that virtually wrote the script for me.

I enjoyed "Snow White" and up to a point it set the tone for the following years. Ron, our musical landlord left the district soon after and another good friend of the Group, Phil Storer, stepped forward to help. Although not a musician, Phil gave many good years service looking after the musical contents of our subsequent shows and treading the boards as well.

Panto followed panto, by now the Group had become an established part of the winter scene in Bognor. "Snow White" was followed by " Babes in the Wood" where we seemed to have dozens of children, not only playing the lead parts, but appearing as virtually every animal that has ventured into an English wood.
The magical story of "Cinderella" followed our first try at this classic panto. Then we entered the strange world of "Mother Goose". While reading up on the story, I realized that far from the pleasant whimsey of panto, this is a dark tale of greed and witchery, but pantos have a strange way of lighting up dark corners and soon Gooseland was ringing with the sounds of laughter and song and the goose was laying more gold eggs and making more people rich than the National Lottery on speed.

Another "Aladdin" followed and this was the first appearance of "Tootsie", a somewhat magical creature that seemed to change shape as and when needed, for this show Tootsie was the Emperor's favourite goldfish.

"Sleeping Beauty" was our next offering, a lovely lyrical show. That wondering rogue Dick Whittington returned the next year. By this time we had a wonderful cast that faithfully returned year after year, our audiences very supportive, had grown so much that our show runs were a week longer, putting certain strain on both cast members and the running of Ashley House. Something had to be done.

A chance remark sent us for talks with the manager of the Bognor Regis Centre, Andy Hood. Andy was genuinely pleased that we were thinking of bringing our pantos to the Alexandra Theatre. Much discussion followed and we decided somewhat nervously that, sink or swim, we would take our future shows to the theatre. The only problem was that Esther Ranzen was appearing in "Dick Whittington" over that Christmas and we could not do a panto as such. This brought much scratching of heads and mumbling into beards and in the end we said we would not do a single panto but four! So "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" was conceived. Willhelm and Jacob Grimm commented on the history of their stories on the side of the stage, while the rest of the Group acted out four of their best one-acters.

Confidence up, the next year, 1984, we went back to the Alexandra Theatre with "Cinderella" and were pleased to get back to a proper panto. There were many deeds of derring-do when our next show "Babes in the Wood" had as much to do with Robin Hood and his battles with the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham as with the dear Babes. During a photo-call at Arundel Castle the cast spent a very happy half hour chatting with the Duke of Norfolk, who had just returned home after Remembrance Day ceremonies at Whitehall.

Now established as a theatre user, the group excelled itself when it brought back that lovable rogue Aladdin and all his adventures the following year. This was the first year that a great contributor to the success of the Group, Ted Marsh, joined us as Musical Director. Ted had retired to Aldwick after a lifetime in professional theatre working with the famous conductor George Melinchrino and invited by Geraldo to be resident music arranger for the theatre owners Howard and Wyndham. Ted was an inspiration to us all - he wrote by hand every note for each musician, could write a score if you hummed a tune, and despite the names he had worked with in the past, was always there to help not only with pantos, but musical evenings and all the other events that make up the Ashley House calander.