When you see how many people there are in the cast, you might wonder how many villagers will be left to make up the audience for next week’s Whitwell Players panto production.

But tickets are being snapped up for the extravagantly-billed The Three Musketeers – Le Panteau With A Thorn Between Two Thigh Slapping Roses, which will be staged at the New Fellowship Hall next Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12.

Peta Duncombe’s show, with 7.30pm evening shows and a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday, takes the expected liberties with the Alexander Dumas classic to give it a panto twist.

Director Mark Norman said: “We are delighted to welcome many young people to the cast of the panto this year who, alongside many of our experienced actors, promise to be one of our best productions yet.

“There’s something for everyone – swashbuckling musketeers, intrigue and plotting, love interests and of course plenty of slapstick.”

You can get your tickets (£7 single, £13 for a pair and £24 for a group of four) online from www.ticketsource.co.uk/whitwellplayers.