We have just finished performing in our Variety Show ‘Silver Plated’ Celebrating 25 years of BATS. It went really well and we all had a great time being involved in the production, despite some dark hours which I will get on to in a bit. The Show was produced by Sue Jordon and included old and new members, (some of whom were actually around in the founding years), performing old and new material.

I’d like to say a big thank you for those of you who attended the show especially on the Saturday night.  We had some interesting moments on Saturday night as we were plunged into darkness twice in one night!

The first time was before the show and lasted just under an hour, but fortunately we had a patient audience, who were also getting half price drinks during the black out. When the lights came back on we started the show but unfortunately the lights went off again just before the end of act one.  Our quick thinking back stage crew managed to shine torches on the actors so they could finish their sketch. We hoped the lights would come back on soon as we didn’t want our audience too drunk.

 As all the power was off we not only had no lights, but no mics or speakers to perform with. However luckily a piano had been left in the hall and Sarah Rees was able to start playing songs from musicals while Gregory Jordon performed table magic while we were waiting to be reconnected.

Happily the lights came back on after a short while and we were able to perform a shortened down version of Act Two.

So I’d like to thank cast and crew for their excellent performances on both nights and for coping so well with the darkness. I would also like to again thank everyone that turned up to watch our variety show.

Our next show is the Pantomime ‘Dick Whittington & His Cat’, which we have already started rehearsing and we will be performed in January next year.

Hope to see you all there,

Debbie Brown – Chairman BATS