Newsletter December 2024

In putting together our website archives, we have been so fortunate to be able to draw greatly on Maureen Larkins’ own vast archive materials including many photographs, programmes and memories of her involvement in the Loddon Players from her first pantomime in 1977.

In this edition I pay tribute to the extraordinary talent that Maureen has brought to our community through her performances on stage, behind the scenes, in Front of House, and all that entails.

Maureen is still active in Loddon Players as a committee member, a member of our Front of House team and even still treads the boards, as she did in our last two summer productions.

Let us not forget that with Anthony Bunting – periodically,  they give talks to the community about the productions in which they have been involved and those with whom they performed.

In 2015 there was special evening held called “An Audience with Maureen”

It was an opportunity for reflection on her time with Loddon Players. That was nine years ago and she is still active!

Here is an extract from what the critic from the Beccles & Bungay Journal – Terry Reeve wrote in an article published at the time.

“Maureen Larkin’s contributions to pantomimes and other drama productions in Loddon was celebrated with a humourous and often emotional evening at the Hobart High School on Saturday evening.

An Evening with Maureen Larkin looked back over more than 40 years in which she has become a much-loved legend, particularly in the pantomimes in which she has starred since the middle 1970s.

She and other pantomime regulars re-created favourite hilarious sketches and jokes from some of them, and in between Anthony Bunting interviewed her about her life and work, and put questions from the audience to her.

She discussed her favourite pantomimes, sketches, characters and memorable moments in her life during the evening. And she also met friends who had been in the original pantomime productions, including Joan Evans and John Harris.

And Maureen was in tears of emotion when members of her family made a surprise appearance – son Ian, a professional entertainer, his wife Michele, and Maureen’s granddaughter Annie. Son Andrew was also there.

Ian, Michele and Annie all sang as part of the entertainment as super-trooper Maureen – and the audience – enjoyed a memorable evening, which included a finger buffet.”

All of Maureen’s immediate family – her husband Michael, and their three children have taken parts in or helped back stage in many productions over the years. Son Andrew still designs the posters for our pantomimes.

In my time in Loddon since Jackie and I moved here in 1997, first as a member of the audience, then back stage, I have been able to observe Maureen work her magic with the audience. 

Finally in 2023, I was able to perform on stage with Maureen in our Variety Show. That was such an honour and a memory I will cherish for ever.

Maureen is a professional entertainer in all but name. She was, I know, offered opportunities to make it her career but she chose instead the path of devotion to her family and to Loddon and its wider community.

David Bingham

Here is our Archive Page for An Audience with Maureen – 2015