IT is more than 20 years since Marion Pratt last wrote and produced a children's pantomime for Sampford Courtenay and, judging by the reception for her recent production of 'Panto Goes Digital', this time for the young at heart, that's 20 years too long!

Sampford Courtenay Village Hall Management Committee was overwhelmed by the request for tickets for the performance on Saturday, January 10, and extra chairs were provided to cater for the 120 strong audience.

The evening was a resounding success, with all the ingredients of this traditional form of entertainment given an up-to-date twist by both experienced and novice performers.

The ugly sisters, Kaye Hodge and Rosemary Lowe, vied with Dame Twanky Trot, Jenny Knott, and Silly Wishy Willy, Joe Stoneman, for starring roles, but they may have been outperformed by the three little pigs, Sophie King and Jessica and Bethany Knott, Prince Aladdin, Caroline Taylor, and Cinderella Beauty, Angel Finnegan.

Claire and David Weeks, as Danni Behr and Robert Kilroy Silk, cooked up a tasty meal of spiders and other delectable creepy crawlies in the Big Brother House, generously sharing their feast with the receptive audience.

Not to be outdone, Silly Wishy Willy, trousers half mast, and Dame Trot baked a superb gateau in a cardboard lookalike Aga.

The addition of a rubber bird to the ingredients was puzzling, until the reassurance that as you can't tell Stork from butter, it was an acceptable substitute.

The judges for Has Pantoland Got Talent were Gillian Townsend Green as Arlene Phillips, Debbie Taylor as Danni Minogue, Matthew Biddlecombe as Len Goodman, John Hodge as Simon Cowell and, easily star of the show, Marilyn Weeks as a superb Bruno Tonioli.

Charlie Goundry, performing as Champagne Charlie, might have won the contest, had it not been for a maximum 10 points from each judge for the real panto stars, Cinderella and the Prince.

Narrator, Anthony Morris displayed his versatility by holding the show, and his script, together with plausible impersonations of presenters such as Ainsley Harriott, Gerry Springer and particularly Bruce Forsyth.

Others behind the scene were Annie Matravers, Bill Robertson and Tracy King. Chairman of the committee, Mick Denison Smith, thanked Marion for such a splendid evening's entertainment both for and by the village and presented her with a bouquet.

All profits will go to the village hall fund.