THE Areley Kings players are looking forward to a bit of star treatment when they put on their production of Dick Whittington later this month.

The traditional pantomime - the group's 22nd - will be going ahead in the new £600,000 Areley Kings village hall, which the players say will make a terrific difference not only to the performance but also to the players' - and the audience's - standard of comfort. Areley Kings Pantomime cast members Joanne Hayes, left, as a dancer, Steve Hayes, as Chancellor to the King of Siam and Pauline Baldwin as Hyssop, the herbalist.

Star treatment for the players will mean the luxury of changing rooms and showers - both things they had to do without in their previous home.

Ticket secretary, Jenny Knott, said: "The new hall is going to make such a difference for us. We are now going to develop our activities. We have already decided to start meeting throughout the year instead of just for the pantomime season.

"Just having the simple things, like proper men's and women's changing rooms, will be such a luxury."

She said if a complete change of costume was needed, this meant going into a toilet for privacy, while children in the show would have to change in the kitchen, which meant refreshments could not be provided.

"Now we have separate ladies, gentlemen's and children's changing rooms with showers, which will be great."

The audience, too, can expect some improvements with upholstered seats replacing basic plastic chairs, refreshments now on offer and the previous scramble for just six parking places relieved by the 45-space car park.

Mrs Knott was most excited, however, about the new £25,000 state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment and the effect this would have on the performance. "We just had one row of spotlights before."

There was just one slight worry - the group had less than three weeks to rehearse in the new hall and get used to the equipment and stage before the first night.

"The cast will have to put all their expertise in place to be ready on time but I am sure they will be," she said.

The panto, with Dick Whittington played by 22-year-old Becki Crowther, Reg Knott as the dame and Dawn McHugh as the cat, opens on Friday, March 19 at 7.30pm.

It will be followed by performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, March 20; 7.30pm on Friday, March 26 and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, March 27. For tickets telephone Mrs Knott on 01299 826352.