AMATEUR actor Brian Higgins has played pantomime dame with Saltburn ’53 Drama Group for more years than he cares to remember.

Blessed with the gift of making people laugh, his role this year is Mrs Trot in Jack and the Beanstalk, which continues its run at Saltburn Community Centre tonight, tomorrow and over three nights next week.

“Audience participation is what makes pantomime unique,” he said.

“The dame plays to the audience a lot of the time and each night is a different challenge. You have to enjoy the absurdity of the character and the story, as well as the practical jokes and the slapstick."

His pantomime credits include Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Ali Baba and Mother Goose and he has appeared in plays by Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and Agatha Christie, plus musicals such as Oliver!

His favourite role, however, is panto dame. "It's worth all the hard work knowing you are sending people out of the theatre with smiles on their faces," he said.

There are matinee performances tomorrow and on Saturday, January 24; doors open at 1.30pm for 2pm.

Evening shows at 7.30pm continue tonight, tomorrow and on Thursday, next Friday and Saturday, January 24 (doors open at 6.45pm).

Tickets cost £7, concessions £5, from The Book Corner, Station Square, Saltburn, box office (Wednesday to Friday 2-4pm) and online at saltburnarts.co.uk.