Scouts and Guides from Wycombe return to the stage with a ‘one-off’ gang show

Scouts and Guides from Wycombe have returned to the stage with a ‘one-off’ gang show.

In March 2020, Scouts and Guides from High Wycombe were ready for their annual gang show. Lockdown meant it couldn’t go ahead and restrictions in 2021 had the same effect. In 2022 they decided to have a weekend festival which gave the cast just 12 hours to learn songs, routines and actions.

On Sunday 10th April 2022, they gave a one-off performance to an audience of nearly 400 parents, carers and some invited guests.

The programme included items about the origins of Irish dancing, circus, Vegas, 12 hours of the gang show and of course a mega finale. The cast of 75 was mainly made up of children and young people under the age of 15.

When the curtain opened for the first song, some of the cast looked rather stage struck when they saw the packed venue. Within moments any nervous energy disappeared and they were singing to their heart’s content.

Their routines were in time and you could see their confidence exuding. Many of the cast had not been in a gang show before and this was their first chance to sing and dance in front of an audience.

The ‘Circus’ went down very well with the audience with members of the cast doing gymnastics, doing hoola-hoop, being wheelbarrows and doing some ‘weightlifting’.

Another highlight was ’12 hours of the gang show’ which was an adaptation of the 12 days of Christmas. With three members of the cast singing and another three having to act out the different hours, there was plenty of laughter from the audience.

In 2020, the Gang Show had wanted to raise money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Michele Jennings, Chief Executive of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, attended the event and detailed the importance of hearing dogs in that they alert people when the door bell rings, the alarm clock goes off or the microwave pings. Michele said: ‘Proceeds from the raffle and any donations will go towards training more dogs‘ and thanked all of the volunteers for setting up the whole event and for choosing the Hearing Dogs as the charity they wanted to raise money for.

Cast members said after the show that it was great to meet new friends, that there was lots of fun and laughter over the weekend, and that they wanted to come back next year. They added that the most difficult bit was that all the singing was taxing on their voices.

Comments from two parents were:

• ‘Thank you so much for giving our daughter the most incredible opportunity in what has been mind-blowing for her confidence; she has blossomed in the areas that needed her to flourish. We are extremely thankful to all the back-stage team for putting this all together and making it happen. Thank you to all.‘
• ‘Super proud of Benji this week. His first ever gang show and he fully got into it. We are so proud of him overcoming his fears to take part.‘

Further information about Scouts (boys and girls aged 4 to 17) and volunteering (18+) can be found on the Scouts website at www.scouts.org.uk.

Further information about Girlguiding (girls aged 4 to 17) and volunteering (18+) can be found on the Girl Guiding website at www.girlguiding.org.uk.

*Source of article : Press release from Buckinghamshire Scouts.