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Review – The Chameleon Theatre Group – Notes From A Small Island

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Image Credits:   Images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos, or were direct from Pixabay. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes, one of which has been used in the Feature Image.

It’s always a delight to go and see the latest production from The Chameleons but this one is a little different for me. It’s the first time I’ve gone to see a play based on a famous book but which remains one I haven’t read. I don’t know whether that means I went with a more open mind than I might have done if I had read the book (though I like to think I am fairly open minded anyway). I have often watched films based on books I’ve read (and most work well) but plays, no.

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The Chameleons – Open Evening – 7th June 2025 – Celebrating 60 Years of Drama

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Image Credits:  Many thanks to the Chameleons for kind permission to use screenshots (and photos) from their Facebook page for this post.

This year is the 60th anniversary of The Chameleons who are based at Ritchie Hall, Hursley Road, Chandler’s Ford.

As part of their year round celebrations to mark this momentous occasion, they are holding an Open Evening on Saturday 7th June 2025 from 6 pm to 9 pm.

All are welcome to go and find out more about them and the work they do, on and behind the stage. You can also see what company members think of The Chameleons via the slideshow, along with pictures of their recent appearance at the Fryern Funtasia.

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Please do see the various links I’ve shared below to find out more about them.

https://www.chameleontheatre.co.uk/

https://www.chameleontheatre.co.uk/about-chameleons.html

Better still, why not pop down and see them on 7th June? They always need people to join the company. Bear in mind they make their own sets too, they always need lighting and sound crew etc., so if acting isn’t your thing, maybe helping out here would be instead.

Many congratulations to all at The Chameleons for a wonderful anniversary!

Next Show

Oh and their next show is Notes From A Small Island based on the novel by Bill Bryson (adapted for the stage by Tim Whitnall). This will be from Thursday 24th July to Saturday 26th July 2025.

Janet and I are already looking forward to going to this – it should be very funny.

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Review – The Chameleons – Sudden Death at Thornbury Manor

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to The Chameleons (in particular Daisy Wilkins) for kind permission to use their excellent photos. Some images created in Book Brush using Chameleon photos. Screenshot and one photo from the programme were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It’s always a joy to have a lovely night out at Ritchie Hall to see the latest production from our excellent local amateur theatre group, The Chameleons. This time Janet and I went to see Sudden Death at Thornbury Manor. (And yes I did have to fight the impulse to type Thornbury Wood there! Well, it is local!).

I have a soft spot for murder mysteries and this one was different in that the audience were able to interrogate the cast about “who did it”. It’s the first time I’ve been to an interactive murder mystery play and it was news to me there are such things. Naturally I have heard of murder mystery weekends etc but nothing like this for the stage. I live and learn!

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Review – The Chameleon Theatre Company – I’ll Be Back Before Midnight

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Image Credits:-
A huge thank you to The Chameleon Theatre Company for supplying the photos from I’ll Be Back Before Midnight. Other images created in Book Brush using Chameleon images. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

I joined Janet Williams for the performance of I’ll Be Back Before Midnight on Thursday, 24th October. The play (a thriller) is by Peter Colley and it was advertised as not being suitable for the under-12s. Spot on there but the play had a fantastic and strong storyline, a real whodunnit and whydunnit combined.

There were so many bluffs, double bluffs, you had to pay close attention but the storyline was so gripping, that wasn’t an issue.

When you are on the edge of your seat, hoping everything will somehow work out the right way for one character, whom you believe is being set up cruelly to die (probably at their own hand or made to look that way), then you know the characters have gripped you and will not let go until the play ends. That is how it should be too.

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The Chameleon Theatre Group – Bleak Expectations – Review

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to The Chameleons for kind permission to use their fabulous photos, which were taken by Stuart Wineberg. Other images were created in Book Brush using one image from The Chameleons. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

I was intrigued to discover The Chameleon Theatre Group were staging Bleak Expectations and was only too glad to go to this show. I remember this as a hilarious Radio Four comedy show which I enjoyed listening to many years ago. Both the play and the radio show were written by Mark Evans.

The title comes from Dickens’s Bleak House and Great Expectations, but there were plenty of other gags connected with the great author.

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Review: The Chameleon Theatre Group – Waiting For Gateaux

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Image Credits:-
A huge thank you to The Chameleons as ever for kind permission to use their excellent photos. Screenshots from The Chameleons’ Facebook page and website were taken by me, Allison Symes. Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
Also a huge thank you to Katrina Lush for kind permission to use her photo of the Slimming World Yes You Can sign placed next to The Chameleons’ Waiting For Gateaux sign at Ritchie Hall recently. Katrina, like me, is a member of the Slimming World group that meets here. This photo went up on the local SW Facebook page and gave us all a huge laugh. I think it is excellent product placement for Slimming World and The Chameleons.

It was a joy to be back at the Ritchie Hall with Janet to see the latest production from The Chameleon Theatre Company. Their latest show, Waiting for Gateaux, intrigued me the moment I heard about it. My first thought was this must be more fun than Waiting for Godot. I was right. I was surprised though to find a story behind the laughs which was often moving. More on that shortly.

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Review: The Chameleon Theatre Company – The Sleeping Beauty

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Image Credits: Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. A huge thank you to The Chameleons for kind permission to use their photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is always a joy to go and see productions staged by The Chameleon Theatre Company. Their pantomimes are always full of laughs and that hasn’t changed for their latest one based on the classic tale of The Sleeping Beauty.

This version of the story was written by Norman Robbins who wrote many pantomimes based on traditional stories. To find out more do check out the website for him. The Chameleons have performed nine of his scripts, the most they’ve put on by any pantomime writer. This includes The Dragon of Wantley, which I reviewed here a couple of years ago.

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Review: Spring Trio – The Chameleon Theatre Group

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Image Credits:-
Images kindly supplied by The Chameleon Theatre Group. Many thanks to them.  Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes. Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Two images from the Chandler’s Ford Today archives.

It was lovely to join Janet at Ritchie Hall to see Spring Trio, the latest production from The Chameleon Theatre Group, on 27th April. (This ran until 29th April). Spring Trio lives up to its name as the audience was presented with three plays, one of which was written by Matthew Meehan from the Chameleons. The plays were a mixture of comedy and drama. There were interesting twists too. All three plays made great use of simple sets and props.

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Review: The Chameleon Theatre Group – Pinocchio

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Image Credit:-
A huge thank you as ever to The Chameleons for kind permission to use their photos. One image adapted in Book Brush using a Chameleon photo. One screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes, from the Chameleons’ website re their next production.

It was a joy to see Pinocchio, staged by The Chameleon Theatre Group on Saturday, 28th January. There are many for whom pantomime is their first experience of live theatre. Funnily enough, it wasn’t for me. My kid sister and I tended to go and see the latest Disney releases at the old Gaumont, now of course The Mayflower in Southampton. Remember seeing Robin Hood and Cinderella there.

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Review: The Chameleon Theatre Group – Sherlock Holmes and The Mystery at Mallen Hall

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to the Chameleons for kind permission to use their photos. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos (and in one case my picture of the excellent programme!).

It was with great pleasure I met with Janet Williams at Richie Hall to watch the latest production from The Chameleon Theatre Group. I love Sherlock Holmes tales so this was a win-win. Congratulations must go to the Chameleons for a sell out performance on all three nights from 27th to 29th October 2022.

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Welcome Back, Chameleons

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Image Credit:  A huge thank you to The Chameleons for the pictures. I took the screenshots of the programme and the Chameleon Facebook page. (Do check that out – see the link!).

It was a joy to finally return to Ritchie Hall to watch The Chameleon Theatre Group take to the stage for the first time since the pandemic “broke” in March 2020. It has been a long year without you all.

(Though it was a pleasure to share posts here during lockdown – The Chameleons Say Hello. See the Related Posts section at the end of this for links to these and also for when my last review of a Chameleon production was – ages ago, basically).

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Part 3 – The Chameleons Say Hello…to their Favourite Performances

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Hello and welcome to another installment from The Chameleon Theatre Group looking at life behind the scenes. This week, they share with us what some of their most memorable productions have been and why.

The Chameleons start with All My Sons, which they presented in October 2016.

Image Credit:  As ever, a big thanks to The Chameleons for the images.

Feature Image: All My Sons
Feature Image: All My Sons

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Part 2 – The Chameleons Say Hello… to the Technical Side

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It is always a great pleasure to welcome The Chameleon Theatre Group back to Chandler’s Ford Today. We are sorry their Spring Quartet production had to be cancelled and we hope it is not long before we see them again on the stage at Ritchie Hall. Janet and I very much look forward to our “CFT works outings” again in the future!

Meanwhile, for a fascinating look behind the scenes at sound, lighting, set design, and props, read on… and as ever many thanks to The Chameleons for the interviews and the photos. (Many thanks also to Janet Williams as there was a useful picture for this post in the CFT archives taken by her).

 

This week’s post looks at the technical aspects of a production. Pixabay image.

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The Chameleons Say Hello – Part 1

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The Chameleon Theatre Group have been posting a series of small interviews. They and I thought it a good idea to compile these in some articles for CFT. Hope you enjoy! These will hopefully be spread out over a few weeks between each one. Many thanks as ever to The Chameleons for the photos.

Oh and don’t forget that when you go to one of their excellent productions and take part in things like the raffle, proceeds go to a nominated charity. So have a great night out and support a good cause at the same time. Now that’s the kind of multitasking I’ve always got time for!

And now over to The Chameleons for Part 1 in what we hope will be an enjoyable series.

Feature Image - The Chameleons Say Hello - Part 1
Feature Image – The Chameleons Say Hello – Part 1. Pixabay image.

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Review: Chameleon Theatre Group – Atlantis – The Panto

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Image Credit:  A big thank you to The Chameleon Theatre Group for kind permission to use their excellent photos. The images of the programme cover and the cast (from the pantomime programme) were taken by Allison Symes.

Feature Image - Atlantis - The Panto.
Feature Image – Atlantis – The Panto. Programme cover photo taken by Allison Symes-1

What do Camille Saint-Saens, Eddie Cochran, Queen, Bob Marley, and Sir Elton John have in common?

Not an awful lot, you may be thinking, but they did all have their music included in Atlantis – The Panto, which was recently staged by the ever excellent Chameleon Theatre Group.

I’ll share a song list later but the answer to my question tells you the music for the show was an eclectic mix, as it should be. There should be something for everyone to enjoy in a panto musically as well as in the jokes and storyline.

Well done to all in the chorus, you were excellent
Well done to all in the chorus, you were excellent

Atlantis – The Panto was written by Paul Reakes. It ran at the Ritchie Hall from Friday 17th – Saturday 25th January 2020, and was directed by Sheila Hardiman.

Janet and I went on Thursday, 24th January and a great time was had by all, one of many signs of a wonderful panto. I’ll share a few more signs later.

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The Chameleon Theatre Group: My Husband’s Nuts – Review

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Image Credit: A big thank you as ever to Stuart Wineberg and The Chameleons for the images.

The play’s title indicated there would be play on words (in every sense) running through the latest production from The Chameleon Theatre Group. With a title like this, it can hardly be avoided! Still it does tie in with my post last week on Meanings!

Feature Image - Chameleons - My Husband's Nuts - Review
Feature Image – Chameleons – My Husband’s Nuts – Review. Image taken by Allison Symes

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Review: Spring Trio of Plays – Chameleon Theatre Group

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Image Credit: Many thanks as ever to Stuart Wineberg, Lionel Elliott and the Chameleons for the wonderful pictures.

I went to see the latest Chameleons’ production Spring Trio of Plays on Thursday 25th April. I like the mixed assortment of plays they often put on in the Spring as you have a variety of entertainment which have a powerful impact. None of the three plays were long enough to stage alone (at least not in this form) but worked very well in a trio format like this. [Read more…] about Review: Spring Trio of Plays – Chameleon Theatre Group

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