HARROGATE Theatre has a new dame for this season's pantomime.

Adam Stafford takes on the title role in Mother Goose from November 26 to January 8, stepping in to the boots of gangling Scotsman Alan McMahon after six years.

McMahon, who had built up a cult following with his "These are the jokes, folks" catchphrase, will be appearing in The Mikado at the Orange Tree, Richmond, Surrey, enabling him to be nearer his family in the south.

Adam Stafford joins the Harrogate pantomime company with a diverse track record to his name: appearing in an episode of the Basil Brush Show on BBC1 and as Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Derby Playhouse; co-presenting The History Of Electricity with veteran presenter Johnny Ball; and producing One Night In Vegas, an Elvis Presley tribute show starring Suspiciously Elvis.

The creative partnership of writer Nicholas Pegg and director Lennox Greaves has reunited for Mother Goose, and the cast features three faces from last winter's production of Aladdin. Tim Stedman makes his "annual comeback" as the endearing, cheeky sidekick and children's favourite, Muddles; Rebecca Stokes and Laura Strachan reprise their roles as principal boy and girl, playing Sam and Lily respectively.

Frank Ellis stays on from this month's repertory production of Ghosts to play Squire Squelch; Rachael Louise Miller casts her magic spell as Fairy Feather; Tom Peters is the villainous Demon Nightshade; and the production team is completed by designers Neil Bray and Lucy Campbell, choreographer Nick Winston and musical director Nick Lacey.

Tickets cost £8.25 to £16 on 01423 502116.

Updated: 16:22 Thursday, November 11, 2004