A NEW pantomime - loosely based on the classic tale of the Snow Queen - is being premiered at Kidderminster’s Rose Theatre on Sunday, December 28.

Tickets are already being snapped up for The Snow Princess and the Lost Crystal, which looks set to be a sell-out for theatrical charity Limelight.

Writer, director and choreographer Jane Bennett has transformed the popular story into a traditional panto for the charity’s sixth annual production, packed with their own unique brand of humour.

The title role of the evil Snow Queen is to be played by Holly Gittins, graduating from the equally nasty Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty and the wicked enchantress in Beauty and the Beast.

Well-known local singer Sadie Owen, whose previous roles have included Cinderella and Wendy in Peter Pan, will play Princess Snowflake while Grace Gordon plays her younger sister Princess Snowdrop.

The Dame - Dotty Diamond - is once again played by funny man Scott Denton, with hilarious stooges, Ilaf and Ulaf, being brought to life by Sam Wall and Andy Bunn.

Sub-plot adventurers Jamie Attwell as Max Danger and Paul Standing as Dukov Hazzard are adding to the comedy, while Megan Bush and Grace Woodward are disguised as a pantomime reindeer who thinks he is a moose.

Completing the line-up are three evil trolls played by Lilly Maffei, Dan Richards and Hatti White with musical chorus numbers by Splinters and spectacular costumes by designers Jenny Altindas and Sara Shell.

The show includes matinees, starting at 2pm, and evening performances, from 7pm, until Saturday January 3, including a special New Year’s Eve matinee. There are no performances on New Year’s Eve night or New Year’s Day.

On the opening day the curtain will rise at 1pm and 5pm.

Tickets, priced £12.50, are available from the Rose Theatre box office on 01562 743745 or online at rosetheatre.co.uk