FOR 30 years, Barry North has travelled from Weston-Super-Mare to Worcester for a very special Christmas show.

In 1978, a group of amateur actors created the one-off Swan Minstrel Show to fill a gap in the Swan Theatre’s festive programme. Three decades later the Midland Musical Theatre Group marches on with their much-anticipated December show on the horizon.

North, born in Worcester in 1953, has been involved since day one – donning costume after costume, and wig upon wig with simple intent to make the audience laugh.

“I have brought my style of comedy to the show through my array of characters – some out of my head, others household names,”

said North, who discovered a love of drama when at Nunnery Wood Secondary School.

On stage he has transformed into Max Miller, Frankie Howerd, Shirley Bassey, Pavarotti, Dolly Parton, Tom Jones, even Liberace.

“An audience favourite is the old man, who is really Frank Randle of the Northern Musical Hall era,”

said North.

“Sometimes I just sit on a stool and chat away to the audience as me. They love that too, seeing the real Barry without the costumes.

But my personal favourites are Slasher Green (cockney character created by Sid Field) and Marlene Dietrich.”

North is front of house manager at the Playhouse Theatre in Weston by day and, despite failing to make it into drama school when he was 27 (“I was too old”), he has continued to indulge his love of performing.

He recently appeared as Fagin in Oliver, and, in the past, starred in Salad Days, The Full Monty, Annie, and as Edourd Dindon in La Cage aux Folles.

“I am now preparing for Swing into Christmas with my friends at MMTG so I will be travelling up and down the M5, a good chance to learn my script.”

MMTG’s Swing into Christmas blends much-loved tunes from the likes of Gershwin and Berlin with up-to-date pop and modern classics.

It runs at Malvern Theatres from Tuesday, November 25, to Saturday, November 29. For tickets, call the box office on 01648 892277.