About+this+Wiki

=About this Wiki - News - Suggestions on style and good practice - Etiquette=

August 2011: Spammers may force me to make this Wiki updateable by members only
Sadly spammers have taken to put irrelevant rubbish up on Wikis. I have therefore reluctantly decided that it will probably be necessary to make this Wiki updateable by members only. To become a member you will have to apply. I will monitor the Wiki through September and see if it looks necessary. It will be a pain for everyone if I do (especially me) but it looks like it will be necessary. Nick Mellersh

PS (An hour later) I think I see a way of avoiding this by checking changes every month. So for the moment this Wiki will remain updateable by everyone. Nick


 * August:** I (Nick Mellersh) have been away since May and the big change since then is a bit about the exhibition from Isabel Yeo. There may be some other things too that I haven't noticed yet. While I've been away I've gone to a Folk Camp where I produced a ten minute panto. Back to the old days again. It worked well.

//Nick//
 * May 20:** Nick Mellersh is trying to add the best of the photos in the exhibition to some of the older pantos and to respond to the excellent pieces put up by Sally Hayward. Today photos of Romyette and Julio were added. I have also added some new ones of Frankenstein and hope to put some in for Star Trek and Wizard of Oz.


 * May 7.** Big changes since last time are lots of new material from **Sally Hayward** with happy memories of lots of the pantos, Flash Gordon among others and other shows around that time. Thank you Sally! I've got a picture of **Justin Mellersh** as Flash Gordon's mother which I'll try to find and put up. Had a note from **Alice Trafford** a few days ago asking to join and she is now a member but I don't know how to get hold of her. Anyway Alice you can now contribute. Looking forward to what you have to say. Keep contributing everyone. //Nick//


 * March 25.** Well the 30th panto is over and done and a good time was had by all. Nothing much has happened to the Wiki over the weekend except I got it wrong about the picture in the Wizard of Oz page which isn't Nicola Balfour as the dog at all - it's Nicola looking at someone else who is playing the dog and comes from another panto.

The exhibition of 30 shows was marvelous and Isabel has done a splendid job. Thank you Isabel!

This Wiki will remain open for a good while yet (probably about 6 months) and we still want everyone and anyone's comments so pleas keep adding to it. I'm off to India on Wednesday so will be leaving it alone for the next month. I hope for lots of good things on my return. //Nick Mellersh//


 * March 23.** First night of the 30th panto (Dr Who) tonight and the eve of the exhibition. See you all there on Saturday morning for the exhibition. Built by Isabel Yeo. And the celebratory evening on March 24.

Today I have added a photo of Lucy to her description of how she thought up the panto and tried to tidy up formatting here and there.


 * March 21.** More from Ron Good about Ali Baba and some more tales of Geoff Green and the props spread around the various pantos.


 * March 20.** Lots more from Susie Cooper including well deserved tributes to Audrey Saunders and Steve Cattell. Also some good sociological thoughts on what the panto has done to and for Minstead. It's a marvelous contribution Susie! Also there's a nice tribute from Ann Gardner to Jeanie and me and some thoughts about growing up in Minstead with the panto. The new bits are coming thick and fast now so it's best really just to explore by the panto you liked or look at the Recent Changes page (which is on the top left of every page) to keep up with today's changes.

Isabel Yeo has put up the exhibition today. It will be open at performance times and throughout Saturday. //(Nick)//

==Our Exhibition to celebrate the Thirtieth Panto will be open from 10am this Saturday March 24th, in Minstead Hall. Come and see us - you never know who you may meet. We've got all sorts of memorabilia - photos, programmes, music, props etc etc. //Isabel//==


 * March 19.** Lots has happened over the weekend with great contributions from Siousxie Cooper (I"ll spell her name the silly way as she has said such nice things about Jeanie and me). Now famous as an Arabic dance expert Siouxsie is in en-route to becoming England's first Professor of Belly Dancing. Joanthon Cole has added a bit here and there (I think) and there are some memories from Ron Good about directing Ali Baba. Lucy Mellersh has put a bit in about how she was the only begetter and kicked her parents into starting the whole thing. Lucy and Richard Ware have added their bits from up in Yorkshire and there have been more entries about the recent pantos. So keep it up everyone.


 * March 16.** New young contributor Yoyo has added his bit to several of the more recent pantomimes. See the Recent Changes link to the left. And he has started a dialogue with another contributor. Great. Now there are only 3 empty Snow White 2, Robin Hood 2 and Florence Nightingale. More songs would be great.


 * March 15.** New stuff from Geoff Green on making props for Ben Hur and Tarzan. More to come on props from Geoff I think. Isabel put up a photo of Nick & Jeanie and a tale of her daughter Melanie and the piper in MacBeth. I (Nick) got in touch with Ron Good who directed Ali Baba and he has promised something. I also put up a bit about Flash Gordon and Romyette and Julio because the pages were looking lonely. We now have only 5 empty pages. Sherlock Holmes, Lady of Shallot, Florence Nightingale, Snow white 2 and Robin Hood 2. So do your bit some of you!! Lets fill them all up!


 * March 14** Put up a new zippier front page to tie in with the posters I'm putting round the village. The bit about Jenny Gardner and the safety pin is still there on the Snow White page. Added Jeanie's diary about panto from 1978 and put in a bit about Star Trekk. Five do a pantomime has a photo up as well and some more tales, courtesy Sandy Aylen Well done Sandy. We need more from all these computer savvy people who have been in the later ones.


 * March 13** Lots happened today. Joanna Gardner, the heroine of the very first Snow White has added her comments (thank you Jo!) and there is a review of Robin Hood from the Echo or the Lymington Times. Look on the Recent Changes link to follow the action. Tomorrow Jeanie's diary!


 * March 12** Lots happened yesterday. The "Anonymous guest" who played King Hal put in lots about some of the pantos he was in and so did his mum! My two sons Paul and Justin added their bits about the early years, and I put up new photos of Snow White, Macbeth, and more. Lots of new material is turning up too including Jeanie's diaries actually written on the days around the first panto. And we found the Echo review of Robin Hood. So keep looking and adding. The best way to see the changes is to look on the Recent Changes link at the top left of all the pages,

We still need your help. There's no content on lots of the pantos and what we need is some of the cast to let us know what they remember.
 * March 11** Jeanie's memories and old photos of Steve Cattel and Nick are up on the General Page. More photos from Tarzan including Vicky Saunders and "You can't put me in the stew!".


 * March 9**: I've put up photos from Frankenstein and Tarzan today**.** Got some other nice ones too of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast which should go up tomorrow. Meanwhile I'm typing up Jeanie's memories and the story of how my daughter Lucy thought that the children of Minstead needed a panto when we were living in America, and so started the whole process rolling. Keep looking and please add your two-pennorth to keep the Wiki boiling. //Nick//


 * March 6**: A bit about the fairies with a photo has gone up today. Plus a comment on cockney accents in Tarzan and a promise of some Tarzan photos. Jo Instrall of the Wizard of Oz has promised to put in something. So keep on spreading the word everyone.

Isobel Yeo put up some new photos. Marion Young put up an old song from Tarzan with Danny Leatherdale and Wendy Cooper singing it. Sandy Aylen put up her memories of Five do a Pantomime, Alistair Banks put in some video of Scott of the Arntarctic and I (Nick Mellersh) added one or two memories from old times. I am just about to put up a page for peoples memories that are less specific, perhaps someone would like to put in a piece about their memories of a series of pantos - if you do use the General page. And there were a few comments from unnamed guests. All comments are welcome but please, if you can, do put up your name or use a nickname that will be obvious to those in the know if you don't like to use your real name.
 * March 5**: Over the weekend of March 3 & 4 this Wiki has really started to come alive. Hamish Young started the good work with a page for every pantomime. Thank you Hamish - it's much the best way. Now put up some of your memories too! And get your brother too as well!

I'll try to keep this section of news up to date, but to check for changes click on the "Recent Changes" link at the top left of the page. If anyone wants to add things here, that's fine. Remember (this page only) to add new items at the top and try to date them and sign them. Like this: //Nick Mellersh March 5//

Suggestions on how to put in items

 * 1) Normally if you are starting a new subject put it at the bottom of a page.
 * 2) If you are commenting on an existing subject put your comment directly under the subject you are commenting on or at the end if there are a number of comments.
 * 3) Please sign your contributions, it makes them much more fun for other readers

Security
This Wiki is open to anyone to change. You can join Wiki spaces and you will get a user name associated with your edits or you can sign in as a guest when your IP address will be used instead. The consensus on this is that it is not a security risk as IP addresses are only normally valid for one session. If you are unhappy about the IP address usage, you will have to join Wikispaces and if you like, this particular Wiki (joining this Wiki will require OK by me Nick Mellersh).

Etiquette and manners
Good manners are a must if this Wiki is going to work. Apparently more than 1,000 people have been involved in the pantos over the years so maybe some rules are needed The usual rules apply. Entries that overstep the boundaries will be removed.
 * 1) Don't insult others.
 * 2) Don't start a flame war
 * 3) Don't vandalise any of the pages.

Most important is that this Wiki should bring happy memories of good times past and old friends. So lets go ahead to make it something really great. //Nick Mellersh//