LEWIS Jackson has chalked up his tenth original pantomime script for the Elvington Players.

Lewis, a self-employed sales agent by day, first took on the mantle of writer for the 1990 show, maintaining the Players' 30-year tradition of its panto always being written by a society member.

Next week's production of Snow White follows in the wake of Jackson scripts for Cinderella, Aladdin, Robinson Crusoe, Babes In The Wood, Jack And The Beanstalk, Dick Whittington, Sleeping Beauty, Sinbad The Sailor and Little Red Riding Hood.

"We've also reprised Cinderella and Aladdin with updated scripts, and we even performed Aladdin 2 in Dunnington when our hall was swamped in the floods of 2000," recalls Lewis.

Writer-director Lewis likes to keep the shows traditional but topical.

"Everything is original in my scripts but I believe in doing a traditional show, and Snow White is very traditional. What you can do, though, is make an innovation, such as replacing the wicked queen's mirror at certain times with a laptop computer."

Such has been the reaction to Lewis's writing that he is soon to go on line with his own pantomime script website, initially on www.pantolines.co.uk before switching to www.jackospantos.co.uk

"I'm starting to publish my scripts, setting up this website," he says. "It's taken me a long time - ten years! - to build up the courage but the reaction to the shows has been so good that I'm taking this next step.

"The Elvington panto has picked up quite a status with people coming to the show regularly, and now we just want to spread the word even more," Lewis says.

In next week's show, principal roles go to Hayley French as Snow White; Sue Jackson, as evil Lady Coriander; Gail Dean, sidekick Sage; Steve Hovington, Onion; Duncan Mortar, King Primer of Magnolia; Jill Frudd, huntsman Carruthers; Enid Harrison, Mirror/Laptop; and Christine Fewster, Trinny. The Seven Dwarfs may be missing from the panto title, but they still will be in the show, played by Elvington children.

Snow White runs at Elvington Village Hall from next Thursday to Saturday at 7.45pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2pm. Tickets: £3.50, children £2, available from Elvington Post Office.

Updated: 09:56 Friday, November 21, 2003