Fans of Sleeping Beauty will have their dreams come true this Christmas at Mansfield Palace Theatre as the classic fairytale is recreated for the annual panto.

The festive family offering opens on Saturday, 29th November and runs until Sunday, 4th January 2015, taking in 62 shows along the way.

The theatre said more than 50% of tickets have been sold and there’s a Pay Now Save Now offer running until the end of August, for tickets booked and paid for in advance.

Starring in this year’s yuletide treat is Coronation Street star Vicky Entwistle (aka Janice Battersby), who is playing the Bad Fairy, Carabosse and tells us: “It’s about the kids, I love to hear them booing or hissing. This might be their first experience of a stage performance”

Playing Princess Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty) will be children’s TV presenter Amy Thompson from Channel 5’s Milkshake! “The thing with theatre is that you give that bit more energy – and you get it back. It certainly keeps me fit,” she said.

Silly Billy will be played by funny-man Adam Moss who said: “All I can say is let the mayhem begin!”

Sarah-Jane Buckley has recently been revealed as playing the Good Fairy. She is best known for playing Kathy Barnes in Hollyoaks (and coincidentally performs as Eva Cassidy in Songbird, which is coming to the Palace Theatre in March 2015.)

Popular Dame Charles Burden will be returning to Mansfield once more – this time in the guise of Nanny Glucose.

Interact with the Palace Theatre on social media to be the first to hear about a Sleeping Beauty competition that will be running during the summer school holidays for a chance to win family tickets. You can like the theatre on Facebook ‘Mansfield Palace Theatre’ or follow them on Twitter ‘@MansfieldPalace’.

To book, call the Box Office on 01623 633133 or visit www.mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre (fees apply).