A MILESTONE pantomime opens tonight (Thursday) with the 40th production by Seend’s Fawlty Players.

The group is taking to the stage with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Scriptwriter Tessa Doe said the show is now a big community event, saying: “Seend Fawlty Players’ first ever panto was Cinderella, performed in 1980 at the school hall using a secondhand script. It was memorable mostly for its mistakes but nevertheless much enjoyed.

"Our second production, with an original script, was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the WI hall. And our third annual panto, due to increasing demand, moved into the even bigger venue of the social club, now the community centre, where we have been ever since.”

Since then, the group have always written their own original scripts to suit the cast available and now have several experienced and able performers. Previous productions of Snow White were in 1981 and 1996, with Jackie Hamblin playing the title role in both. Stacey Vaux plays this year’s heroine.

The Players are celebrating reaching the milestone with photos and posters from the previous 39 pantos arranged around the hall

The production opens tonight (Thursday) at 7.30pm, with shows tomorrow (Friday) and on Saturday, when there is also a 2.30pm matinee.

Tickets are available from Seend Shop/PO, Seend Community Centre and the Brewery Inn in Seend Cleeve. Prices are £6, £3 for children and proceeds will go towards new play equipment for Seend Lye Recreation Field, and Seend branches of the Royal British Legion and the WI. Seend Playgroup will benefit from interval raffles.