Haverhill’s Centre Stage Company has its youngest ever director leading the way for its new panto, Robin Hood

The youngest ever person to direct a show for an award-winning Haverhill drama group has described the challenge as ‘scary’ but an ‘honour’.

The Centre Stage Company’s annual panto, Robin Hood, which begins a run of nine shows spread across six days at Haverhill Arts Centre this week, is written and directed by 21-year-old James Player, a former student at Haverhill’s Castle Manor Academy.

James, who last summer completed a three-year degree in Musical Theatre at Canterbury Christchurch University, is not just directing the panto, he also wrote it – as he did the 2023 Centre Stage panto, Sleeping Beauty.

Sleeping Beauty has since been nominated as the best panto for the year in the East District 7 at the NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) awards.

In 2022, the Haverhill company won the Best Youth Production and Best Young Performer NODA awards.

“Since I was like four or five, I’ve always enjoyed writing stories and making up scripts,” said James.

“My dream has always been to have one of my scripts performed on the stage and when the offer came up I took it.”

Although James wrote, produced and directed a university production of the Wizard of Oz in 2020, this is his first directorial role away from that.

He said: “It is a little scary, don’t get me wrong. People are normally more experienced when they direct shows but It feels more like an honour than a worry.

“Once I started my confidence grew in the directing aspect, finding my own voice. In the cast, lots of them are older than me and I have to find the authority figure in myself and get that feel in the room for everyone.

“It’s been hard at first but I’ve loved every second of it. I’m very excited to see my work go from paper to stage.”

Robin Hood is also something of a family affair for James, who also provides a panto script writing service and teaches acting and dancing at the Haverhill-based Mayes School of Performing Arts.

His mum Jacqui is the choreographer, sister Katie is dance captain, Jason André, his uncle, is the dame, Nurse Nelly and his cousin Joni André is also in the cast.

The principle cast also includes Ella Rowell as Robin Hood, Lara Gray as Maid Marion, Graeme Johnston as The Sheriff of Nottingham and Iona Griffey as the fairy, The Enchantress of the Forest.

All of the songs will be big disco hits of the 70s and 80s, including numbers by The Bee Gees, The Pointer Sisters and Earth Wind and Fire, after the show’s producer Peter Dedman came up with the idea and James wrote the script around the suggested songs.

Robin Hood runs from Friday, January 12 until Saturday 20th. Times and tickets details are available at www.haverhillartscentre.co.uk.