GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
REGENT CENTRE
CHRISTCHURCH
19th - 26th JANUARY 2008

Roll up, roll up for the greatest show in town! The award-winning Highcliffe Charity Players return to the Regent Centre, Christchurch, with a spectacular, circus themed version of GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS, portraying the bears as appealing living puppets specially made for the production.

Goldilocks runs for ten performances - including 3 matinees - from Saturday 19th to Saturday 26th January 2007. And new this year is the 'Fun at Five Tuesday Teatime Show', when there is a unique opportunity to meet Goldilocks and the cast after the show. As usual, profits will be donated to local charities.

Stephen Duckham's script adds a new slant to the well-loved story. Running away from her greedy money-lending guardian Gaspar Grey, Goldilocks joins Sophie Sawdust's Spectacular Circus as a horseback rider. But her happiness is short lived as Gaspar and his two cohorts, Swindle and Diddle, arrive to take her home.

For Goldilocks is about to come into a large inheritance, which Gaspar intends to steal. She is forced to run off again - this time to the home (and porridge!) of the Three Bears. They befriend her and a great new circus act is born - the fabulous 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'. But the story doesn't end there, as Gaspar hatches an even more dastardly plot to kidnap the Bears and get his hands on the fortune.

Joint Directors Louise King and Malcolm George say: "With great songs, fairytale magic, hilarious comedy routines and, of course, a happy ending, this popular panto has something for everyone. And we hope we have made it even more exciting for today's young audiences by presenting the Three Bears as fantastic puppets much like those seen on all our favourite childrens' shows.

"Seeing the puppets recently in the hit musical Avenue Q reminded us of our wide-eyed joy as kids when we watched the Muppets. So we decided to break with 'bear-suit' tradition and bring an extra dimension to these much-loved panto characters. And observing the three puppeteers performing as the Bears should fascinate audiences as much as watching the puppets themselves.

" Everyone's favourite Dame, Stuart Tizzard - who has now celebrated over 30 years with HCP - plays Sophie Sawdust, the owner of 'Sophie's Spectacular Circus'. The title role is taken by the young Carli Barrington with Azza as Tommy the Animal Trainer, who Goldilocks falls in love with. Other circus characters include Ricki the Ringmaster (Pete Whitaker), Jocko the Clown (David Coward), Gloria the High Wire Performer (Andrea Young) plus Clairvoyant, Madam Zarina (Debra Crowton). Goldilocks's evil guardian Gasper Grey is played by David Gillard and his assistants Swindle and Diddle by Shelley Gould and Katie Tizzard. The Three Bears - demonstrating their newly acquired puppeting skills - are Neil Mathieson (Father Bear), Jo Mansfield (Mother Bear) and Dale Waterworth (Baby Bear). Choreography is by Georgina Smith and the Musical Director is Ian Carter.

Tickets are on sale at the Regent Centre Box Office: 01202 499199
Adults: £10.00 Concessions: £8.50 Family of Four: £35.00
Monday Night & Tuesday Teatime: All Seats £8.50
Final Saturday Evening 26th Jan: All Seats £10