May I introduce Janice Smith – Hell’s Angel extraordinaire!! (I am the one sporting the rather fetching leather jacket over one shoulder – with grateful thanks to husband, Steve, who allowed me to paint the image on the back of his jacket as long as I promised it would come off again … and it nearly did!)

It all started with the Wizard of Oz – playing a Munchkin at school, and leading the ‘audience participation’ song (toujours la difference, toujours la meme!). Swiftly followed by a concert party which toured the Midlands entertaining anyone who couldn’t get away with sketches, songs and the worst jokes you could ever imagine! Good lessons in carrying on regardless of whether the scenery stayed up or not, the fastest changes ever known to woman, and improvising like mad when everything went haywire! This period also included the prize for the fastest dash from changing room to ‘stage’ when we visited the Leonard Cheshire Home in Ashby de la Zouche and had to navigate a corridor rumoured to be haunted.

As a group we auditioned for New Faces (yes, it was that long ago!), but weren’t picked. In all honesty, we were too oldfashioned! When we saw what we were up against, I wasn’t surprised.

Later on, I belonged to ‘The Victorian Follies’ – an adult Music Hall group which toured the Midlands, and even had a Summer Season down in Devon.

While in Solihull, I was one of the original members of the SMASH drama group. We specialised in musical plays, but managed also to do a fair few variety nights and straight plays, too. This period included the appearance of Angel Chicago, the singing group Donna and the Kebabs, and the Hell’s Angels above who appeared in a Star Trek spoof called Dazzle and, although looking very mean, danced a beautiful gavotte and sang in exquisite harmony! (I think that was how it was described!).

SMASH also saw my directing career blossom. I was co-director of the world premiere of the musical Born for Us All, and two years later directed ‘Singing Dancing Carpenter’. It was here that I began to run drama workshops, for children and adults, and also co-wrote 2 ‘Murder Mystery’ Party scripts, one for adults, and one for young teenagers.

In 1997 we moved to Wantage where I joined the King Alfred Players. Our performance area was a 13 th Century Barn out in the wilds: beautiful in the summer, but winter plays were a nightmare! During this time, we performed straight plays, and although I missed the music, I enjoyed what we did. My first role with KA was Melchior in Tom Stoppard’s ‘On the Razzle’ which was great fun, but the most appropriate for the setting was Cider with Rosie! During this time, we also took Pinter’s ‘The Lovers’ to the Abingdon Festival. Unfortunately we lost to a super play that had been written especially for the festival, but it was certainly fun to do.

Well, that brings us to Banbury, and Ugly Sister in Beauty and the Beast (typecast again, I hear you cry!) … but of course you know that because you attend every performance, don’t you? Well, don’t you?

See you at the next show …..

Janice

xx