AS British as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, the annual slapstick and interactive pantomime production has become a longstanding tradition in Bermuda as well.

This year's show, Snow White and the Seven Sisters in the Land of Snow and Ice, will run from December 4-13 at City Hall Theatre in Hamilton.

Written and directed by Carol Birch, who has been involved with the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society (BMDS) for more than 30 years, this year's event melds two stories ¿ The Ice Queen and Snow White.

This year also saw a record number of auditions with more than 200 adults and children showing up over a three-day open cast call.

"With the number of people to choose from means that I have a sterling cast to work with," said Ms Birch, who has been working on the story since March.

"For the very first time, I had to do call backs for the children. I only needed eight children but ended up taking 11."

There are some new faces in the cast that past audience members may not have seen before, including the King, played by Alan Brooks, and the Prince, played by Gareth Lewis.

According to Ms Birch, the six sisters of Snow White, played by Alison Evans, will be the divas of the show, complete with names like Mariah, Britney and Madonna.

This year's Dame, a part usually played by a male actor (Kelvin Hastings-Smith), will be the eldest sister.

The music was scored by a composer friend of Ms Burch's, James Burn, who has also written the music for the past two productions.

While the pantomime is traditionally geared towards an audience of children, Ms Burch said there would be plenty of laughs and social commentary for adults as well.

"While there is lots of slapstick and big action for the kids, I specifically write for adults," she explained.

"There will be loads of double entendre and innuendo for the adults that the children won't understand."

Combining elements of big Broadway shows and traditional panto, the production will include big "show stopping numbers", "glorious" music and extravagant costuming by Nikola Wilkinson.

Tickets go on sale at Daylesford Theatre Box Office on Saturday, November 22 from noon to 3 p.m. Call 292-0848 for more information.