AN amateur theatre company with its own venue is on the look-out for would-be actors for its Christmas pantomime.

The Royalty Theatre, in Chester Road, Sunderland, will stage its version of Jack and the Beanstalk in December and on Friday night will stage open auditions.

"Anyone who has ever had the urge to be in a panto, even as the back end of a cow, should come along to the Royalty no later than 7.30pm," said a spokesman.

"No previous acting experience is needed and auditionees to do not have to prepare anything in advance.

"The only requirement is that those taking part must be aged at least 16."

The company's 2004-05 programme starts in September with the Irish farce, The Patrick Pearse Motel.

It will be followed in November by Neville's Island, a tale of four middle managers stranded on an island, written by local playwright David Farn.

Productions next year include Willy Russell's Breezeblock Park and Scottish playwright Shelagh Stephenson's adaptation of Dracula.

Theatre chairman Jim Gardner said: "I think that this season has a genuine touch of quality. There is really nothing like the experience of seeing a live play and I hope theatre-goers take the opportunity to see why our reputation has remained so high for nearly 80 years.''

Tickets for the panto will go on sale in October. The box office number is 0191-565 7945