NORTHALLERTON Variety Company will be staging their annual charity pantomime at The Forum, Northallerton from Sunday January 20 to Saturday 26th (excluding Wednesday 23rd).

This will be the Variety Company's 41st pantomime and the town always really looks forward to it.

Since the Variety Company began they have raised over £145,000 for local charities, all their profits being donated locally. Last year, the Variety Company donated £5,000 to the Sir Robert Ogden Centre at the Friarage Hospital.

This year's pantomime has all the magic and fun of pantoland and gives everyone the chance to "boo" the baddie and cheer on our hero, Dick, as he tries to thwart King Rat (helped of course by Fairy Bowbells).

With an enthusiastic cast and a chorus of 21 local youngsters this is definitely a panto not to be missed.

The Variety Company this year are fortunate to have in their cast a 'professional' - Stee Leahy who has just finished a UK Tour of 'The Secret Garden'.

Stee started with the Variety Company in 2012 and whilst he is 'between shows' he thought it would be good to be with the Variety Company again.

At Christmas he was playing 'Buttons' in Tom Rolfe's production of 'Cinderella'.

As usual the panto will have the two favourites - Dolly Dumpling and Idle Jack causing chaos with their kitchen scene, no one knows what will happen next!

Tickets, which are selling fast, can be obtained by telephoning the Forum on 01609 776230 or online at www.forumnorthallerton.org.uk