DORSET'S panto season gets off to a rollicking start next week.

With rehearsals almost done, players from the Royal Manor Theatre on Portland are ready to perform their hilarious adaptation of Cinderella to a live audience.

This year's festive feast has been written by Janet Botterill, who is also director of the show.

Janet, who is married to Portland vicar David Botterill, said: "In May this year, David and I went to Massachusetts for a month as part of a pulpit swap' with a church there.

"We were staying on the 24th floor of a 24-storey apartment block and while David was at work, I stayed in and wrote the panto. I made myself laugh a lot, which is a good thing!"

The panto stars Jan Melton in the title role, with Chris Wadley, Mark Sampson-Vincent and Pat Wells as ugly sisters Windowlene, Germolene and Verymean, Jo Cheverton as Prince Charming and Anita Roberts as Dandini.

Ken and Elfrida Strom play the king and queen, Elaine Masters is the fairy godmother, Chris Matthews is Buttons, Graham Masters is the sergeant major of the troops and the soldiers themselves are played by young members of the RMT's Playmakers. Janet said: "It is a hilarious show that has had us all in hysterics. I also wrote Snow White last year with a lot of input from Andy Straw, but this year I wrote it all while he has written three really lovely songs for the show. The cast has been superb. The last play we staged was Pinter's The Birthday Party and you can't really get much more of a contrast, especially as two of the ugly sisters had main roles in the Pinter!"

Janet has been a stalwart member of the Royal Manor Theatre for several years, but its annual pantomime is where her heart really lies.

She added: "I am a huge fan of panto. Ever since I studied it at college, I have loved the harlequin and commedia del'arte and panto is an extension of that. It is a uniquely British thing.

"Last year we had lots of fantastic feedback from people who had seen the show so hopefully this one will be even better. The cast have worked so hard and are now ready for their audience. They are up to scratch and know their stuff and are just waiting to get out there and sock it to their viewers!"

Cinderella is at the Royal Manor Theatre, Fortuneswell on Portland from Monday to Saturday, December 3 to 5. Performances are at 7.30pm with a 2.30pm matinee and tickets are £8 plus concessions from Danny's in Fortuneswell, R T Cards in Easton, the box office on 01305 860792 or online from rmtcportland.co.uk