It promised to be a celebration of the life and work of a gifted amateur dramatics president - and it did not disappoint!

The Aylsham Players presents Another Blinkin' Variety Show was a delightful collection of comedy, dance, music, and drama.

Set in Aylsham Town Hall, the show featured scripts, skits, and snippets of the finest material written by the late Becky Hilton, who died in October 2020.

It is clear to see why those who connected with her described Hilton as the "shining light" of Norfolk’s amateur dramatics scene.

The Aylsham Players poured their hearts and soul into this production and did its lifetime president, who spent 20 years with the group, proud. There were also special appearances from Sutton School of Dancing as well as performances from additional local performers.

Highlights included the stunning vocals of Emily Sidnell performing Eva Cassidy’s Songbird, as well as humorous productions of the black-comedy duologue Maternal, an adapted version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, full-length performance of the hilarious play The Pageant, and an upbeat ABBA medley for the finale.

The real icing on the cake though was the never-before-heard literary work by Hilton; audiences were treated to an exclusive reading from her unfinished novel, Read the Label. Although only an early draft, Hilton’s talent for comic timing and setting a scene remained clearly evident even off the stage.

It was an absolute joy to be able to watch this special show and see amateur dramatics at the heart of its community once again.

If you missed seeing the show, streaming tickets are still available via Eventbrite at aylsham-players-another-blinkin-variety-show.eventbrite.co.uk and the production will be available to watch on-demand until Tuesday, May 31.

Streaming tickets are £10 and the proceeds will go towards securing the future of the Aylsham Players.

  • Another Blinkin’ Variety Show was performed at Aylsham Town Hall on May 13 and 14. The review show was watched on the afternoon of May 14.