Next Came Germany.....

Rheindahlen - Pantomime and Plays

We moved to Germany in 1971 our first stop was Rheindalen in an army community. I had my 7th birthday whilst we were staying in barracks awaiting a house and my mum made me a very large rag doll Looby Lou. She was bigger than me and ended up wearing all my old clothes. It was also here that my journey into plays and pantomimes started. My dad was the music teacher in my school and the first play I remember taking part in was The Jabberwocky. I was so excited to be cast, with my friend, as a Slimy Toad! (it was only much later on that I found out that I had in fact been a Slithy Tove). We had much fun as we ‘did gyre and gimble in the wabe’ and explored the kitchen behind which was used as the back stage area. I remember when on one occasion we found a wooden caddy on the kitchen side. Upon looking inside we saw it was full of sugar, so checking no one was looking, we each took a handful and poured it into our mouths. Our next very hasty steps took us to the sink where we proceeded to spit out the salt we had just eaten!!