PANTO season may be some months away but the stars of this year’s showing in Malvern were in town this week to give people a sneak preview of what’s in store.

The panto at Malvern Theatres this Christmas is Sleeping Beauty and members of the cast were at the theatre and out and about in Priory Park showing off their colourful costumes.

Punk pop star and TV presenter Toyah Willcox is playing the bad fairy, a role she is really looking forward to.

“I love pantomime, this will be my 17th, and being the baddie is much more fun than being good,” she said.

Toyah loves the whole history and tradition of pantomime and the fact that in the rapidly changing world of entertainment it is still an event, an occasion, when families get together and go out for a special treat.

Toyah’s opposite number, the Good Fairy, is played by Australian singer and dancer Wendy Lee-Purdy.

“It’s my first time in panto and I’m looking forward to it,” she said. She is particularly pleased that she gets to really dress up.

“In the last few years I’ve played a lot of peasants. A fairy dress is a nice change,” she said.

When it comes to panto experience there are few actors with more experience than Charles Burden. He has played dames and ugly sisters many times in pantomimes all over the UK.

He loves the traditions of panto and its seaside postcard bawdiness.

“It is all over the top and just lots of fun and children and mums and dads love it,” he said.

Charles is responsible for his own amazing costumes and promises panto-goers a particularly spectacular Lady Gaga number complete with a white wig this year.

Younger children will recognise Derek Moran who plays Silly Billy. He is the presenter of popular children’s TV show Milkshake and he is looking forward to coming to Malvern because the green hills remind him of his home in Southern Ireland.

Derek says he has always wanted to entertain, ever since he pestered his parents for a karaoke machine as a child.

“I get a real buzz out of it and panto is just a lot of fun,” he said.

The cast arrive in Malvern on December 6 to start rehearsals and the panto opens ten days later on December 16 and runs until January 9.