The Christmas season gets underway next week when the annual pantomime opens at City Hall.

This year's BMDS production is `Old Mother Hubbard in the Wild West' and, according to director Jonathan Owen, promises to be one of the best yet.

"It's one of Samuel French's standard panto scripts and it really is quite good. I was surprised,'' he confesses, "because the first three scenes are set firmly in `panto-land' which is very helpful because it immediately establishes the fundamentals of traditional pantomime -- the comic elements and the love interest.

"Then, all the characters are magically spirited off to the Wild West.

There's a strong story-line which, in itself, is fairly unusual. It works incredibly well, I think.'' With a cast of around 40, including a children's chorus, it will be a big production, says Mr. Owen.

"Gaynor Gallant (assistant musical director) has worked so hard with the kids and now James Burn (musical director) is exercising the same devotion to the adults,'' observes Kelvin Hastings-Smith, who is taking on the role of Old Mother Hubbard. "That's fine by me, as I've not sung in public since I was 12.'' Asked how he was persuaded to audition for the classic role of the pantomime `Dame', Mr. Hastings-Smith, a lawyer by profession, says the idea first surfaced during the run of Jabulani's production of `Pyjama Tops'. "Keith Madeiros and I were talking about various roles and he actually persuaded me to have a go.'' Rolling his eyes, he adds, "I'm sure it will all come together once I get my dress and wig.'' Although he was offered a place in the Young Royal Shakespeare Company as a 16-year old, Mr. Hastings-Smith had to turn it down. "My people couldn't afford to send me away so I sort of lost touch with the theatre until I came to Bermuda.'' Since then he has appeared in `Arsenic and Old Lace', `Dangerous Obsession' with Carol Birch and, most recently, in the Jabulani farce, `Pyjama Tops'.

This will be the third visit to Bermuda for director Jonathan Owen. A very busy professional, he appears extensively on the West End stage as well as regional theatre, TV and radio.

Other principals in this year's show include Ray Moore who plays Old Tumbleweed (suitor to Old Mother Hubbard), with well known comic Geoff Yeomans playing the son. Katherine Watts plays Polly, Mother Hubbard's daughter, while the cowboy hero is 18-year old Bermudian Devaune Ratteray who, says Mr. Owen "sings like a dream''. Marcus Staebler takes on the role of Matt Vinyl, "the worst baddie of all'', while other roles are played by Annarita Marion (the good fairy), Heidi De Silva, Derek Keeping, Phil Taylor, John Thompson, Chris Wardman, Stratton Hatfield, Debbie Mello, Peter Profit, Shirley Brown, Leslie Kermode, Peter Havlicek and Dennis Eldridge.

Choreographer Jeane Legere, says Mr. Hastings-Smith, is "really wonderful, especially with Geoff and I -- it takes a bit longer to teach us as we keep missing the first beat. She's so patient!'' Set design is by Elmer Midgett, costumes are by Martin Hatfield. Denis Grubersich is executive producer, with Cynthia Yeomans as artistic producer.

`Old Mother Hubbard in the Wild West' opens on Thursday, December 10 and runs through Saturday, December 19 with matinees on December 12, 13 and 19. Evening performances commence at 7.30 p.m., matinees at 3 p.m.

The box office at Daylesford is open through December 9 from 5. 30-7.30 p.m., and on Saturday, December 5 from 12.30-2 p.m. On December 10, the box office moves to City Hall and will open one hour before matinee and evening performances. Admission is $18 and $14 for matinees.

CALL OF THE WILD (WEST) -- Director Jonathan Owen (R) shows the way as Old Mother Hubbard (Kelvin Hastings-Smith) bursts into the Wild West in a scene from this year's BMDS pantomime.