Panto team ready to tread the boards

ALL geared up at their dress rehearsal for Pinocchio, stars from a Suffolk am dram group are really getting to NOSE their stuff – and they're clearly MADS!The favourite children's story is the subject of Mendlesham Amateur Dramatic Society's new pantomime which hits the stage this Friday and Saturday at the community centre in the village at Mendlesham Primary School.

By Jessica Nicholls

ALL geared up at their dress rehearsal for Pinocchio, stars from a Suffolk am dram group are really getting to NOSE their stuff – and they're clearly MADS!

The favourite children's story is the subject of Mendlesham Amateur Dramatic Society's new pantomime which hits the stage this Friday and Saturday at the community centre in the village at Mendlesham Primary School.

But one of the most memorable stage-effects of the play in which toymaker Cipetto sets off in search for his famous tall-tale-telling creation is proving a little difficult to master.

"We haven't worked out a way of how to make his nose get bigger," said the society's secretary, Sue Michell. "But we'll have lots of custard pies – and even a whale."

Performances are at 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday and a matinee performance that day makes a welcome return to the MADS run.

"We find that it makes more of a village community feel to the production as children can all come along," she added.