Lesley TATE reviews the Otley Scouts 'Scoutaid Extravaganza' at Otley Methodist Church

WHO would have thought just a month ago that Otley Scouts could have devised, rehearsed and put on such a fantastic show.

Producer Meg Morton must have breathed a huge sigh of relief on Saturday when the curtain went down on a hugely well received 'Scoutaid Extravaganza'.

Those of us - and there must have been a few - who went along to Otley Methodist Church for the sake of our own little Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers, clapped, cheered and laughed all night long.

We had humour in buckets, talented singers and musicians, great alternative pantos, a skit on television comedy 'Little Britain' and a live band oozing with confidence.

The evening kicked off with all four scout groups performing the Otley anthem - written by group chairman Peter Young, whose idea the fundraiser to support scout work in the aftermath of the Tsunami disaster was.

Next up were The Kestrels, in the first of three sets - and what a talented group of musicians.

The tempo then quickly changed to a lively skit on The Simpsons, hilariously performed by the Bridge Cubs.

The comedy continued apace with the naughty-but-nice Explorer scouts featuring at least one near naked scout in each of their set pieces. My favourite was a rendition of 1970s hit YMCA by the Village People - but just where was the Red Indian?

The younger scouts were a delight with their Bob the Builder, Beavers Night and Pizza Hut sketches. And particularly funny was 'We Hate Scouts' - by the Methodist Cubs - hilarious to all of us watching our own little cubs growing ever-so-quickly into scouts.

I may not have been out for a while but just where did the idea for the alternative pantos come from?

Delivered in a dead pan way with all the characters - Snow White, the Wicked Step Mother and the essential narrator - bobbing up and down off chairs - worked very well, and was very funny.

The Methodist Scouts performed a Little Britain sketch and also a very thought provoking look at the corruption in the making of popular trainers - which had many of us hiding our shoes under our chairs.

Interspersed with the humour was some talented cornet and horn playing, and a singing duet by Julian and Mark.

Immediately after YMCA by the Explorers, all the scouts gathered on stage for the finale - the Bear Hunt - fantastic!

My six year-old Beaver told me they'd only practiced it once be-fore, you'd never have known.

Bravo Otley scouts - a fantastic evening and well done to all involved.