1 Former East Enders star Michelle Collins stars as wicked fairy stepmother Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty, this year’s panto at Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre. Plenty of local references are promised by writer and director Chris Jarvis, best known as a C Beebies presenter. The panto will run from Saturday, December 7 until Sunday, January 5, and early booking is recommended as thousands of tickets have already been sold. Call 01793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk for further details.

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2 Sleeping Beauty isn’t the only pantomime to be seen in Swindon during the coming week. In Jurassic Lark - at the Arts Centre in Devizes Road from Thursday to Saturday, December 5-7 - Swindon stalwart Geoff Marsh and his team promise a panto like no other. Audiences can expect dinosaurs, witches, a time machine, a mighty gorilla and, as usual at this annual event, a great deal of fun. Visit swindontheatres.co.uk or call 01793 524481 for further information.

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3 Beauty and the Beast is this year’s pantomime at the Oxford Playhouse, and will run from Friday, November 29 until Sunday, January 12. The work of the team behind previous successful productions of Jack and the Beanstalk and Dick Whittington and his cat, the panto tells the story of clever and kindly Beauty and the gruff Beast, who must learn to get along when they find themselves trapped in a magical castle. For further information call 01865 305305 or visit www.oxfordplayhouse.com

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4 The Wharf Theatre in Devizes has chosen Cinderella as this year’s pantomime. The show will run from Friday, December 6 to Saturday, December 14, although there will be no performances on December 8 and 9. All the traditional elements of the beloved story - the young woman who hopes to meet her handsome, the nasty sisters who have other ideas, the glass slipper - are present, but some unexpected twists and turns are also promised. Visit www.wharftheatre.co.uk or call 0333 666 3366.

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5 The Footlights theatre company offers an unusual take on the Robinson Crusoe story for its pantomime at the Arc Theatre in Trowbridge, which runs until Sunday, November 17. In this version, Crusoe decides to set sail in pursuit of adventure, only to be pursued by villainous Blackbeard the Pirate. The castaway finds himself searching for treasure on a tropical island in a show the theatre promises will be fun for the whole family. See www.wiltshire.ac.uk/rss/arctheatre for full details.

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6 Traditional panto favourite Robin Hood has been chosen by the Salisbury Playhouse. This version, written by Andrew Pollard, sees the noble outlaw and his band of friends go on an exciting adventure with plenty of familiar songs, comedy, dance and audience participation. The show is billed as a perfect treat for all ages. It will run from Saturday, November 30 until Sunday, January 12. For full details, visit www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/whats-on/main-house/robin-hood or call 01722 320 333.

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7 Like the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon, the Bristol Hippodrome has recruited a soap legend to star in its pantomime. Shane Richie takes the title role in Dick Whittington, which is set to run from Saturday, December 7 until Sunday, January 5. Visit www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome

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8 Theatre Royal Bath presents Beauty and the Beast from Thursday, December 12 to Sunday, January 12. The production stars Wendi Peters, best known as Coronation Street’s Cilla Battersby-Brown, with John Monie and Nick Wilton. The box office can be contacted on 01225 448844 and via www.theatreroyal.org.uk

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9 Tweedy the Clown from Giffords Circus stars as Buttons, best friend of Cinderella, in this year’s pantomime at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. The rest of the cast is made up of distinguished West End regulars whose work has ranged from Benidorm Live to Hairspray. Full details of the family-friendly pantomime, set to run from Sunday, December 1 to Sunday, January 12, are available on 01242 572573 and via www.everymantheatre.org.uk

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10 Gloucester Guildhall’s pantomime, Pinocchio, will run from Friday, December 6 to Saturday, January 4. Live music, song and puppetry will be incorporated into the story. Visit www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk

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