FANS of East Ayrshire’s family festive favourite can start looking forward to November.

Dick Whittington is this year’s panto at the Palace Theatre and part of the tradition is the cast announcement, which has just been made.

Imagine Theatre are producing the panto once again, having become specialists in the spectacular shows.

Some favourite faces are returning to the stage with Fraser Boyle as Dame, Gary Morrison as Idle Jack and River City’s Sally Howitt as Fairy Bowbells.

Also back, for the third year running, is James McAnerney who will be playing Alderman Fitzwarren.

It will be something of a turnaround for James. who has been a baddie previously — Dean Castle in Beauty and the Beast and the Demon King in Mother Goose.

He also appeared in the football-based comedy/drama, I’m no a Billy, he’s a Tim, at Cumnock Town Hall earlier this year.

James said: “I enjoy being at the Palace for panto because the audience are so close to the stage you can see all their reactions really clearly.

“It always feels like a family working with Imagine at The Palace as the team they put together always get on so well.”

“This year will be a big change for me not playing the baddie as I’m so used to getting booed from the Killie crowd.

“It will be nice to be able to be part of the story where happiness is happening rather than me trying to stop it all the time.

“It’s also great not being the baddie this year as I’m trying to cut out the ‘boos’ in my life...I’ll have to try get that one in the script.”

David Haydn, who played Aladdin’s nemesis Abanazar in 2014 is back to play the dastardly King Rat. Amy Scott last appeared in the Palace panto back in 2008 in Mother Goose and is delighted to reprise the role of Alice Fitzwarren that she played at Eden Court in Inverness last year alongside Charlotte Forbes who is reprising her role of Dick Whittington from the same production.

Also joining the team as the feisty feline Tommy the Cat is Anna MacDonald.

Charlotte said: “This will be my first time appearing at the Palace Theatre Kilmarnock and I am very excited to be taking to this iconic stage and working with some brilliant Scottish actors. Dick Whittington is such a great pantomime and he is such a fun character to play.

“Last year I loved being able to run around the stage fighting King Rat with my trusty side kick Tommy. Playing a principal boy is a huge challenge and it requires a lot of energy to portray their larger than life personalities but it is so rewarding when the audience gets behind you willing you to save the day.”

Opening performance is at 1pm on Saturday, November 25, through to Hogmanay — tickets are priced from £10.

Visit www.eastayrshireleisure.com for more information or to book, or call the Palace Theatre Box Office on 01563 554900.