WHILE the rest of us are busy finalising our Christmas card list and totting up how many presents we need to buy this year, the festive celebrations are temporarily at the back of the minds of two of the stars of this year's Swan Theatre pantomime.

Although the big day is fast approaching, the only things Sarah-Jane Bourne and Liz Grand are concentrating on at the moment are their lines in Cinderella.

But for someone with as much experience as Sarah-Jane, a professionally-trained actor who has starred alongside such luminaries as Jason Donovan, Paul Nicholas and no less than two of the Nolan sisters over the years, it comes as second nature.

Sarah-Jane, who stars as Cinderella, began her education at Pattersons School of Dance in Coventry at the tender age of seven - but not because her parents were "luvvies" who desperately wanted her to enter the world of showbiz.

"I was sent because when I was young I had a tumour in my femur," Sarah-Jane told the Evening News.

"I hadn't been able to walk for 18 months and I was sent there primarily to help get movement back."

But after two years, Sarah-Jane had been well and truly bitten by the acting bug and was starring in her first production - Dick Whittington, alongside Michael Barrymore and Linda Nolan.

Now 30, Sarah-Jane has been in work ever since with her most notable role to date being Linda in the West End anniversary production of Willy Russell's hit musical, Blood Brothers.

After spending the last year travelling the world playing Frenchie in Grease and Mother in Elvis, as well as finding the time to buy her first house in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, with her fianc Mark, she is now looking forward to her role as Cinderella, as she feels she is "coming back to her roots".

"My father was born in Kidderminster and I'm doing a lot of work around Worcestershire, coaching, teaching and directing at the moment, so I feel like I'm coming home in a way," she said.

Unlike Sarah-Jane, Liz Grand - deputy director at Huntingdon Arts - will be

stepping on to the stage for the first time in four years when she stars as the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella.

But rather than being worried, the 37-year-old from Diglis is ready and waiting to take up her wand and transform the Swan Theatre into a magical setting for what she hopes will be the theatre's best pantomime yet.

"I don't want to give too much away but

I can say that Cinderella is going to be very funny and a very traditional, old-fashioned panto for all the family," she said.

Liz, who was heavily involved in amateur dramatics for around 10 years after leaving Stourport-on-Severn High School in 1987, is now bracing herself for two weeks of intensive eight-hour-a-day rehearsals which start on Monday.

"Luckily Chris Jaeger (director of Huntingdon Arts) has given me some time off to concentrate on my part but in between scenes, I think I will be sat in the auditorium with my lap-top up and running," she said.

For Liz, one of the most exciting things about her forthcoming role is being able to act with a cast of professional actors which includes Jack Wild, who played the Artful Dodger in the smash-hit film musical Oliver!

"But I'm also looking forward to being on stage again," she said.

"There's nothing like the energy and excitement you get when up in front of an audience."

Cinderella begins its run at the Swan Theatre on Friday, December 10, with performances right through until Saturday, January 1.

Tickets cost £13.50 for adults and £8.50 for children under 16 and are available from the box office on 01905 611427.

That sinking feeling it's panto time

WELL, here we are. Almost December, and the pantomime season is nearly upon us again. (Oh yes it is!) It's very exciting in some ways and very depressing in others.

Digressing slightly, I find almost all yearly things very depressing these days, including birthdays. It's the speed that they come round again. Bonfire Night, Christmas, Easter, schools breaking up for summer, schools going back again. Mind you, it doesn't help that you can buy a Christmas card mid-September and an Easter egg on December 26th! If you are 40-something, I'll bet you that time seems to go quicker and quicker as you get older. Now I'm 50-something (I know, I know, you can't believe it, what's the secret of my eternal youth?) the time just flies. Where did the last year go, that's what I keep asking when things come round again, where did the last five years go, where did the last 10years go? I'm beginning to feel like the vintage folk singer Tom Paxton, who always opens his stage act with the words, "it's nice to be here.....well actually, it's nice to be anywhere these days."

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, pantomime. And that's another thing about getting older. Do you find you get distracted more easily? Do you ever stand up, walk across the room, and then not remember why you did it? Do you ever have a great idea, go to write it down, and then not remember what it was? I do. It's very worrying. I don't think I'm going senile, but who's to say? Probably most of my staff when I'm not there. Or maybe I am there and just don't remember!

Now then, pantomime. Oh no, too late. More next time, dear reader. Just remember, Cinderella at the Swan from Friday, December 10th.

Chris Jaeger is Director of Huntingdon Arts