CHRISTMAS, it seems, comes around sooner and sooner as the years pass, bringing with it the traditional pantos. Tyldesley Little Theatre have wasted no time in getting their seasonal offering up and running.

Santa in Space takes the audience on an intergalactic journey when the evil Vileun the Vile kidnaps Professor Antus (Ian Hunter) because he doesn't want young earthlings to be happy - he thinks they get too much of their own way! Each appearance of Vileun is met with plenty of boos and hisses - a great performance from Ian Taylor who took it all in his stride and ad-libbed some lines when heckled by the younger members of the audience. Astra, his partner in cosmic crime, was perfectly played by Karen Seddon.

Garth Waddup really got into his role as Dame Dangle complete with oversize dresses and garish make-up.

Ken Berry and Paul Ward as Null and Void, the bumbling buffoons sent to Earth to seek out Santa, really won the audience over and had youngsters queueing to get on stage for the essential singalong.

The hero of the hour is Dick Daring - naturally played by Ingrid Folkard Evans who seemed to relish her thigh-slapping role - who gathers his band of helpers, including a robot (Hazel Rimmer) and jets off into hyperspace to overthrow everything evil.

Three hours of jokes, songs and audience participation simply fly by and add up to a great night's entertainment.

Ring 01204 655619 for tickets. Linda Hurst