Terry and Julia Rymer with some of the cast of Dick Whittington. Terry and his wife Julia have wrtten and directed the the traditional panto that will be performed at the Gorleston Pavillion theatre.

WHILE holidaying in Gorleston as a boy Terry Rymer would gaze out the window of his guesthouse and watch as people poured in and out of the town’s striking Pavilion Theatre, with hopes of one day treading its boards.

Feature on proposed plans for Gorleston Pavilion. Kevin Lynch from the Pavilion theatre

Now 50 years later the am dram fan is fulfilling his childhood ambition as he will be taking to its historic stage later this month to star in a panto, which he himself wrote.

And despite only featuring in cameo roles in his self-penned performance of Dick Whittington he is very excited to get to work within the walls of the grand Edwardian venue.

Mr Rymer, 65, a former careers officer in Lowestoft, said: “It’s a building which just deserves to be recognised and to put my show on there and be part of it - from a little lad whose nose was pressed up against the window - is a childhood ambition come true. It’s almost too good to be true.”

From the ages of five - 12 Mr Rymer and his family came to Gorleston from Norwich for a fortnight in August and would stay in a guesthouse in Pavilion Road, right opposite the theatre.

He would bag the front bedroom so he could watch visitors come and go from its side entrance and was captivated by its regal architecture and the entertainment that went on inside, although his parents never took him to a show there.

“It was old time music hall and I was probably too young,” he added.

“I was fascinated by it and the people, and the building stuck with me throughout.

“When I retired I took on the role of local representative for the National Operatic and Dramatic Association, which gave me contact with all the amateur committees.

“I was able to talk to Mike Coleman (chairman of Gorleston Theatre Company), they were short of someone to do a panto. I said I’ve got a couple of scripts, they took a look and bingo, we’re now putting on my show.”

And performing panto at the Pavilion will be especially poignant for Mr Rymer and his wife Julia, 59, as the pair met on the stage in a production of Aladdin with the Lowestoft Players in the late 1970s.

He was playing the dame Widow Twanky while she starred as Princess Jasmine in the show at the Sparrows Nest Pavilion Theatre.

Mr Rymer said: “There formed a bond which continues to this day so panto’s got a lot to answer for!

“It’s never been a paid activity but always been something we have been immersed in throughout our lives.”

The pair, who are grandparents of seven and live in Oulton Broad, have gone on to work together on several shows, including Me and My Girl and South Pacific, and Mrs Rymer has directed Dick Whittington, which opens at the Pavilion on January 23.

Mr Rymer added: “It’s a good story. It’s got a good moral tale told without too much slap stick but with enough comedy to amuse adults and youngsters.”

The show, staged by Gorleston Theatre Company, runs from January 23 - 27. For tickets call the box office on 01493 662832 or visit www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk