MERCURY favourite Jeff Dunn talks of the challenges of adapting a much-loved pantomime scripted by a Milford legend.

The late, sadly missed, Dave Barrat, one of the founder members of the St Katharine Stratford Players, was a prolific writer, producer, director and 'special dame' in so many wonderful pantomime productions over the years.

He was also a good friend of mine, so, when Viv approached me to do a little 'tweaking' of Dave's original Cinderella script, and create a couple of new characters, my first thought was one of trepidation.

How on earth could I follow Dave's classy and superb understanding of the panto genre?

Then I remembered something he once said to me, when he and the Stratford Players were reading through the script of one of my plays.

I was a bit unsure of it until Dave said: "If you know what your audience want, and what they expect, then give it to them - you won't go far wrong."

With that advice in mind, I did a little tweaking (not a lot, you can't change perfection) and added, at Viv's request, the characters of Iffy and Sniffy.

You'll be able to boo and hiss to your heart's content - I know I will - when this year's production of Cinderella comes to St Katharine's Church Hall.

The show runs from Monday, April 9, to Friday, April 13, at 7.30pm, and on Saturday, April, 14, at 6pm.

Tickets are £5 and £4 concessions.

To pre-book, please contact Viv on 01646 694736.

And here's a final word of advice from me.

The group's Easter panto has become a must-see event, and tickets sell like delicious hot-cross buns, so get yours early.