santa

Santa in Space

by Paul Reakes
December 6,7 8, 2001
Directed by Judith Watson
Produced by Peter Unsworth
Stage Manager, Alan Watson
Musical Director, Bernadette Rogers
Scenery by Judith Watson and Sue McRoberts

A modern pantomime story centred around the baddies kidnapping Santa so that Christmas will be cancelled unless everyone on Earth submits to the arch-villain, Vileun the Vile.
Of course, Santa is rescued by Principal Boy, assisted by the Dame and the Principal Girl.

Other characters and the Chorus of villagers and Varborites played by the Junior Players, Sara McKay, Linda Nash, Barrie Griffin, Gary Denby, and Angela Danks.

The evil Vileun the Vile of the planet Varbos, (Matthew Tasker) declares his intention to be Master of the Universe
With the aid of his assistant Astra the Astrologer (Carrie Bedford), he plans to take over the Earth by kidnapping Santa Claus and thereby cancelling Christmas.

Vileun figures that all the parents will not be able to disappoint their children, they will ransom Santa and Earth will be conquered.

Santa (Peter Unsworth) is living incognito in the village of Merrydale, under the name of Professor Atnas, toymaker.

Santa's assistant, Crystal (Penny Avery) arrives to tell him that there is trouble at the toy factory where all the Christmas presents are made and he will have to come and sort it out immediately.

Santa plans a big farewell party for everyone at his magic workshop

Vileun and his henchmen, Null and Void (John Guppy and Don Hussey) come to Earth to kidnap Santa Claus
Santa disappears and the farewell party turns into a rescue mission. By the use of a magic cabinet, a toy spaceship is turned into a real space vessel.

The rescue party of villagers aboard the spaceship follow the kidnappers back to Vileun's planet, Varbos. Also among the party are Crystal and Robo the Robot, Santa's finest invention.

Dame Dangle is dressed in her very best frock of silver lame

Villager (Angela Danks), Dame Dangle (Mike Jackson), her nephew Captain Dick Daring (Sally Stretton), Crystal.

The villagers trick Vileun into losing his magic amulet and all his power

Vileun causes the rescue ship to crash in the Wilderness, where the villagers (unscathed by the crash) meet the true Varborites (Junior Players). They tell Dame Dangle that all Vileun's power rests in an amulet and that their Prince has been transformed into a Monster.

The rescue party allow themselves to be captured and plan to steal the amulet.
(Astra, Null and Void, Santa, Captain Daring, Vileun, Dame Dangle)

Vileun and Astra are destroyed when the amulet is stolen by Robo the Robot

Santa restores the Monster of the Wilderness to his true form as the Prince Paragon of Varbos. Crystal marries Captain Daring. Null and Void, overcome by the magic of Christmas, become reformed characters as Santa's new little helpers.

Everyone returns to Earth and A Very Merry Christmas is had by all

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