THIS year’s traditional annual pantomime at The Courtyard, Jack and The Beanstalk, opens on Friday, November 28, a sure sign that Christmas is on its way.

The creative team has been hard at work, the cast is assembled and rehearsals are in full swing. This year's panto sees the return of many old favourites, with last year's Buttons, Dario Cacioppo, back in the title role of Jack and Madeleine MacMahon, a quirky Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, stays on the light side as the Good Fairy.

Delighted to be debuting as a dame, not to mention dispensing a unique brand of advice (see right) is Jason Marc-Williams, Baron Hardup last year, playing Dame Marjie Poops. This year, Jason, originally from Swansea, played the role of Pilate and assistant directed The Passion for GradCo in the western Cape of South African, and also worked with Feral Productions at Ledbury Poetry Festival.

New to the cast and playing Jack's love interest, Jill, will be Catriona Mackenzie. Also performing at The Courtyard for the first time and bravely taking on the part of the baddie, Clarkson, is Craig Painting, who's appeared in both Casualty and Doctors for the BBC.

Taking up the directorial reins once more, her sixth time, is Estelle van Warmelo, director of Feral production and, in recent years, more used to putting theatre into unusual places like libraries and car parks than working in a conventional space. The panto is written, as it has been for the last 15 years, by Lyndsay Maples, a professional writer, director, tutor and actor based in Hereford. As well as writing The Courtyard's panto (and appearing in quite a few, too), Lyndsay works as director and writer for Living Book, a theatre company for adults with significant learning difficulties. She's currently employed by ECHO as an activities worker, helping adults with disabilities to play a vital part in their local community.

Join the cast and crew for a Christmas caper and find out what happens when Jack sells his beloved cow in return for a measly bag of beans, which - of course - turn out to be no ordinary beans. Will Jack and his friends find out what's hiding at the top of that beanstalk?

"Jack and the Beanstalk is a classic tale and we hope that with such a superb cast we will be able to put our own stamp on this fabulous story," says Ian Archer, chief executive of The Courtyard. "The cast we have selected each impressed so much at the auditions, and I cannot wait to see them bring these characters to life."

The opening of the panto also marks the launch of The Courtyard's annual Christmas appeal, which this year will be shared between the venue and the Hereford-based Phoenix Bereavement Support Charity which supports children, young people and their families when someone close to them dies.