CAST and crew are putting the final touches to the Rowntree Players’ Christmas pantomime, Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves.

“Each year we raise the bar and this year is no exception. We may be an amateur company but there is nothing amateur about this pantomime,” says Players publicist Caroline Heppell, ahead of Saturday’s opening night at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York.

“We have a dedicated team who have pulled out all the stops in every way possible to bring our audiences another rollicking romp of a panto. Year after year, we push the boundaries with every aspect of our pantomime, from the fabulous set, and colourful costumes to the wonderfully choreographed musical numbers.”

The script has been written by director Howard Ella, who, by his own admission, lives and breathes pantomime from the moment the curtain goes down on one panto to the time it rises on the next.

“Although this year he may have exceeded this, as from what we hear, he has already planned our 2015 panto,” says Caroline.

“Howard has a fantastic team working with him to bring the Joseph Rowntree Theatre alive with the traditional panto plot and gags and a magic trick that you would normally see delivered by a professional magician.

“So, yes, we have pushed the boundaries yet again and upped the panto stakes. We know our audiences will love Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves as much as the cast and crew have loved working on it.

“There is something quite special about working on a pantomime. First it’s the auditions, then the rehearsals and seeing it all come alive, but one of the most amazing things is seeing the cast and the children pulling together to deliver a little bit of Christmaspanto magic.”

In Howard Ella’s script, the sun is shining on the deserts of Egypt, but in the shade of the pyramids Mother Mollie Baba is not pleased.

The lack of rain has played havoc with her umbrella sales and despite second son Ollie’s stream of new and invariably ridiculous jobs, times remain hard.

Never fear, however, because her eldest son, Ali, has an idea. The birthday celebrations for Princess Pashmina are imminent, so Ali has arranged for the Family Baba to pitch their wares to the Sultan. and Sultana, his “currant wife”.

They promptly head to the palace, brollies in tow.

Meanwhile, in the depths of his desert lair, Arte Farte is plotting his most vile scheme yet on his planned trajectory to become ruler of the world.

Aided by his band of thieves – 39 at the last count – he is stealing his way to the top, but his next target is his most audacious yet.

Will Arte Farte achieve world domination? Can the Baba family save the day with the help of the Desert Fairy? Will there be a beautiful love story, riotous slapstick, big song and dance numbers, old jokesand an energetically performed song sheet?

Find out from Saturday to December 13, when Daisy Ella will play Ali Baba; Graham Smith, Molly Baba (the Dame); Finn Ella, Ollie Baba; Andy Welch, the villainous Arte Farte; Katie Sutton, Princess Pashmina; Marie-Louise Surgenor, Fairy Thoth; Martyn Hunter, Sultan; Jeanette Hunter, Sultana, and Chad Hammerton, Hakim.

Howard Ella is joined in the production team by co-writer Andy Welch; musical director Thomas Marlow; choreographers Ami Carter and Claire Horsley and costume designer Leni Ella.

Evening performances will start at 7.30pm, except Sunday, with 2pm matinees on Saturday, Sunday and December 13. Tickets cost £14, concessions £12, family of four £50, on 07927 026071 or at rowntreeplayers.co.uk