Lewes Little Theatre - It Happened in Hamelin

Anyone who was a child in the 50’s and 60's will probably have encountered the stories of John Christopher Timothy Jennings and his bespectacled companion, Darbyshire. Some may even remember hearing the first radio broadcast on Children's Hour in 1948, or his TV screen incarnation in 1958. Others will remember the books - all 23 of them - and the charmingly comic tales they tell of the forever 12-year old Jennings and his life at the fictional school of Linbury Court. Spanning forty years, their popularity has not just been confined to children. The deftly worded narratives have drawn comparisons with P.G. Wodehouse and elicited praise from comedian Stephen Fry.

For Jennings creator Anthony Buckeridge (OBE) the stories were a logical progression from his experiences as a schoolmaster, and his life-long zeal for the theatre. Later, he settled in Lewes where he continued to write and even appeared in small roles at Glyndebourne. In the early 80s he wrote a musical 'It Happened in Hamelin', which was performed at the Lewes Little theatre. It was something of a family affair - at just 16, son Corin wrote the musical score, and it was co-directed by his wife, Eileen. Now the theatre is reviving the production to commemorate Buckeridge (who died in 2004) with direction by Catherine Parker. Combining the original legend of the Pied Piper with the story of the Children's Crusade, Eileen assures me it will be a 'magical production.' And a fitting tribute. RB