The elaborate costumes, detailed scenery and smiling faces seen in this picture are just like something you'd enjoy at today's panto productions, but this one was taken at a dress rehearsal just days before the Players' first panto, Aladdin, at Lynn Arts Centre in 1957.

The photo, along with an original giant poster advertising the panto, was brought to use in Look back by Players' honorary life member Eddie Lyon, who appeared in the club's first eight pantos and then directed the next 17 of them.

"I didn't want the 50th anniversary of the Players' panto to pass without a mention," he said. "They used to be so popular and made a lot of money in those days."

A cast of more than 40 performers took part in the first panto, including dancers with the Barbara Hartree Babes and Juveniles and Les Wheeler and his orchestra. Directed by John Seaman, it was put together in just six weeks and proved a huge success.

The show was on for nine days from Boxing Day, and virtually every performance was a sell-out, with some companies taking all their staff as a Christmas treat.

After that the Players held a panto every year until they decided to take a year's break in 1965, when the Operatic and Dramatic Society held one instead.

In 1966, both the Players and the Society held a panto and lost money, so an agreement was made after that they would do them alternate years.
The last Christmas show the Players did was Mistletoe and Wine in 2003, and the last panto was Dick Whittington in 2001.

Players' member Jim Farr said they decided to stop them as growing numbers of operatic groups in the area meant there was not only more competition to attract audiences, but also to attract talented performers.

"We no longer have the number of people we used to have to be able to put on such a show. If you've got 30 people on stage, you've got to have around another 15 to 20 behind the scenes trying to make it happen," he said.

Mr Lyon is pictured in the 1957 photo in the back row, fourth from the left, dressed as his part, Abanazar. He also recognised Clem Prescott (back row, sixth from left), who played the Dame, and Ernest Petchy who was the Emperor (back row, fourth from right).

Barbara Hartree is also pictured as Aladdin (back row, seventh from left) and Joan Howling as the Princess (back row, seventh from right).

View a larger copy of the Lynn Players from the 1957 pantomime