Composer James Burn is banking that both will go over well this Christmas as the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society (BMDS) presents its version of the children's classic .

Put on notice by the theatre company a year ago, he accepted the role of musical director and came up with an original score for the event.

"Last year they did a typical traditional pantomime, one of those which come with the songs," he explained. "This year they decided to have original music again. I wrote the music for (the BMDS production of) a couple years ago, and I guess it's because of that they approached me."

At the time, was only a possibility, he said. A script had yet to be written.

"When they asked me ? it was probably about this time last year ? all they had was a random idea. 'What would you think if we did this? Would you be interested?' I said I would, but only if we got a good script. (Pantomime) scripts do vary. They can be written to be done in a church hall by five people, or they can be done in a full-on theatre in the West End."

As explained by the BMDS, Bermuda's version follows the well-known story line: The princess is cursed by a malevolent fairy who declares that before Aurora's 16th birthday, she will die by pricking her finger on a poisoned spinning-wheel.

Aurora is kept in hiding but, despite the best efforts of the king, the queen, and three bumbling fairy godmothers, she pricks her finger and falls into a death like sleep. It then falls to the prince, with the help of the fairy godmothers, to rescue her.

While Mr. Burn hammered out panto-appropriate songs ? eight in total ? local thespian Carol Birch took on the monumental task of adapting the classic tale of a beautiful princess, Aurora. The two were familiar, Mr. Burn had previously directed Ms Birch onstage.

"We worked separately," Mr. Burn explained. "I probably started writing in April of this year. Sometimes the songs come in a flash, other times, they take forever. But the fun part, because it's pantomime, you know the songs are going to be short.

"They've got to be to the point. They've got to be easy to understand. They've got to be funny ? some of the time. It is possible to have a lot of fun with it. However, it is a lot of work and takes a lot of time especially as I have a job, I teach. So, I had to fit it around things.

Mr. Burn received the first draft of the script in August. He "was pleased" with the result ? however, it left him only two months to adapt his music to it.

"As pantomimes go, I think this is going to be a very good one. There is a story to it. It has pace. Aside from it having a framework with the slapstick and the usual comedy and nonsense, there's a story there. So from that point of view, it's a more interesting piece of theatre than most pantomimes.

"I knew that I needed to know where I was going musically by the time we held auditions. I needed to know what I was going to ask of people. So the two of us sat down ? she pointed out where she thought the songs should go, I pointed out where I thought the songs should go; we decided where there was too much or not enough music; what should be a very short cue, what should be a full-blown song. We did all that and then we auditioned in October and got some fantastic singers."

A teacher of piano and music theory, Mr. Burn has written compositions for musicals in the past. He finds writing for pantomimes, however, something completely different.

"It's easier than writing anything else in a way, because there are very few limitations. What's great this year is that we've got two choruses if you like. We've got a music chorus responsible for singing and acting and a separate dance troupe.

"We've managed to incorporate people on stage who can sing, and people on stage who can dance. It looks really good and it allowed me to write more challenging stuff than I normally would. Usually I avoid too much harmony, I try and keep ranges fairly limited.

"The same applies to the choreographer, Joanna Powell. I think she's really enjoyed having dancers to work with. Normally (proper) dancers don't turn up for these sorts of things ? they've got to sing and some of them aren't into that. (will have) real dancers. Two of them, in fact, would like to become professional dancers and they look like they could be."

q runs from December 9 through 18 at the City Hall Theatre. Curtain time is 7.30 p.m. There is no performance on Sunday, December 12. Matinee performances will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12. A third matinee is scheduled for Saturday, December 18. Tickets are $25 for evening performances and $20 for matinees. The box office opens tomorrow at Daylesford Theatre (corner of Dundonald and Washington streets) between noon and 3 p.m. Tickets will then be available at the box office, Monday through Friday, between 5.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. through December 8. From December 9 through December 18, tickets will be available at the City Hall box office between 5.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. On Saturday, December 11, Sunday, December 12 and Saturday, December 18, the box office will also be open between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased online outside box office hours, at www.bmds.bm. For more information, telephone 292-0848.