You shall go to the ball!

Cinderella is probably the most famous fairy tale in the world. With its fantastic characters and scope for superb sets and costumes it also makes for a magical pantomime and will be this year's seasonal offering at the Alban Arena.

Panto also brings with it a whole host of much-loved entertainers, usually including an Australian soap star. And this year does not disappoint on that front, because playing the title role is Carla Bonner, best-known as Stephanie Scully in Neighbours.

She will be joined by a superb cast who, as they told everybody at the recent launch at Batchwood Hall in St Albans, are all set to enthral and entertain the people of the city.

This year's cast come from both ends of the panto spectrum in terms of experience, because while some of the performers have done it all before (many, many times in the case of The Patton Brothers!) for others it will be their first time.

Jamie Rickers
One panto newcomer is GMTV's Jamie Rickers who, by playing the lovable Buttons, may not win the heart of Cinderella but will certainly win the heart of the audience.

For Jamie, doing panto is a dream come true, although it is just one of many ambitions that he has already fulfilled.

"I've wanted to be a kids' presenter and do panto since I was about five-years-old, having watched my TV heroes" he says. "I remember seeing Jim Davidson as Dick Whittington and Russ Abbott as Buttons. They were the seasoned pros that I'd grown up watching and I wanted to fill their shoes as soon as I was old enough."

Jamie has certainly realised the kids' presenter dream, having worked for Planet 24, Carlton Kids and most recently both producing and presenting Children's GMTV. He is also the presenter of the new CBBC show 'All or Nothing', which he describes as "a cross between the Krypton Factor meets The Crystal Maze."

But it was while he was editing the Sunday show for GMTV that he found out that he had been cast as Buttons in St Albans.

"I was asked if I was free for a photo shoot" he says. "I asked what for and they said, 'You're Buttons!'"

"I said, 'Blimey, I've got it' and I got straight on the phone to my mum and said, 'Guess what? I get to be a real cheeky chappy."

But Jamie IS a real cheeky chappy and he should have no trouble charming the audiences of St Albans. He says that he is really looking forward to it and can't wait to learn from old-handers like The Patton Brothers and everybody else who's done it before.

"I can't wait to hear the music" he adds, "but I'm dreading having to sing."

I remember seeing Jim Davidson as Dick Whittington and Russ Abbott as Buttons. They were the seasoned pros that I'd grown up watching and I wanted to fill their shoes as soon as I was old enough.

Jamie Rickers Buttons

This is surprising considering that he studied at the Colchester Institute of Music and Drama for three years - and singing was one of his electives! He has also been a piano, singing and music theory teacher and formed the Universal Film Orchestra consisting of 110 professional musicians.

"But this is a very different style" he explains modestly. "I was conditioned to sing in a very different way to pass an exam and I haven't sung for seven years!"

Jamie is not only an entertainment all-rounder, he also admits that he can never just sit still and do nothing. He has a black belt in karate and was the British Judo Martial Arts Champion and his other hobbies include swimming, water-skiing, rally driving, mountaineering, parascending and sailing. In fact, judging by what the modern panto now requires, all these skills should stand him in very good stead.

But with so many talents, what would he ultimately like to be known as?

"An all round entertainer" he says, "I just like watching the reaction of other people." With his general effervescence and winning smile, he is sure to get a good reaction at the Alban Arena this Christmas, but how does he feel about his first panto? He admits that he still gets nervous with every new job and everytime he goes on, but he is looking forward to it very much.

"Hopefully I've got all the right ingredients" he says, "we'll just have to see if it works better than my cooking!"

Jamie certainly sounds like an all round good guy and action man - but, apart from the cooking, is there anything he can't do?

"I can't dance very well" he admits, "so I'm going to have to learn very quickly!"

The Patton Brothers
By contrast, The Patton Brothers, are just two years off from having done an incredible 50 pantos in a row. Jimmy and Brian are real brothers, who will be playing real Ugly Sisters in this year's Cinderella. They will both be staying in St Albans for the season, although they will be travelling to their respective homes on their only day off - Christmas Day!

"This will be our 48th pantomime in succession" explains Jimmy. "48 years in a row and we've never missed a performance."

"Not one" adds Brian.

Although their over the top dresses suit them very well, they reveal that they don't always play the Ugly Sisters either. "This is only our 4th time out of 48" says Jimmy. "We usually play robbers or Chinese policemen or giant's henchmen - all sorts really."

The two clearly have a love for pantomime, well, it's either that or they are just gluttons for punishment! Brian explains its attraction:

"It's just lovely" he says. "It's the characters and the family atmosphere and the fact that you're doing knockabout and slapstick comedy which everybody loves."

Of course, its not just panto they've worked on. They both started in musical hall acts in the late 1940s before starting the double act in 1954 and since then, their act has taken them all over the world, as well as headlining many summer seasons at dozens of seaside resorts in the UK.

Over the years they've also made over 150 television appearances and can currently be seen in the BBC series Chucklevision playing characters such as Mr No Slacking and Mr Get Out Of It. The pair have also toured with The Chuckle Brothers in their stage shows.

"We've worked together since 1954 when we started the double act, so it will be 50 years when this panto finishes. If we were dustbin men we'd get a gong!" laughs Jimmy.

Spending nearly 50 Christmases in a row away from home must take its toll on family life, but as Jimmy explains, they both have very understanding wives.

"They were both dancers, we met them in shows a long time ago so they know what showbiz is all about" he says.

Showbusiness has certainly been their whole life and they've had a happy and successful career which seems to be as good today as it's ever been. But being together so much, and being brothers, there must be times when they argue? Jimmy disagrees:

"We used to a bit when we stayed together all the time before we were married, but we've got the same interests in life so we're very much on the same wavelength" he says.

Carla, Jamie and The Patton Brothers will be joined at the Alban Arena by BBC Three Counties' Ernie Almond playing Baron Hardup, whilst Frankie Clary makes Cinderella's dreams come true as the Fairy Godmother.

Sally Taylor takes on the role of the dashing Prince, helped by his faithful valet Dandini, played by Paulina Doncel.

So don those glass slippers and get along to the Alban Arena this Christmas for laughter, fun, music and dance - and you'll still be home by midnight!

If you know of a pantomime which you think should be added to our listing, email us here at threecounties@bbc.co.uk

Grantham gets hooked!