If you see three bears running around City Hall this evening, don?t try to catch them. Try, instead, to catch the show they?re in: the Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society?s Christmas pantomime, ?Goldilocks and the Three Bears?, in which they have starring roles.

Alan Gilbertson, as Daddy Bear, is a veteran of previous pantomimes, and in real life has a ?baby bear? of his own. He is also a singer, and thanks to his supportive wife, has been able to take advantage of being on-Island this year to return to the stage in a role he describes as ?a great opportunity and a lot of fun?. He predicts that both children and adults will love the show, and disputes the rumour that the three bears are a nasty family. He does admit, however, that Baby Bear has a penchant for bursting into song at every opportunity, and is not afraid to sample the odd donut. Mr. Gilbertson says director Jo Shane is someone who runs a tight ship but who is ?just great?

Tanya Weller, as Mamma Bear, is thoroughly enjoying what she views as a great role, and says it is in keeping with her career as a teacher, which by definition is also a nurturing role. She, too, has a ?baby bear? of her own in real life. Her love of theatre goes back to her childhood when she acted in school plays. Today, she is still involved in school plays ? this time in working with the students. Mamma Bear is her second pantomime role.

Baby Bear is played by little Eileen Veghte, whom Daddy Bear describes as ?cute as a button?.

Laura Fasulo, as Goldilocks, is no stranger to the local stage, having appeared in several musicals as well as two previous pantomimes. Now a student in the Saltus SGY programme, her interest in theatre began at age 12 while a student at the Bermuda High School. ?Surprised and very excited? when she learned she had won the role of Goldilocks, Miss Fasulo describes it as ?exhilarating and so much fun?.

Maintaining that people who get involved in pantomime have ?such great personalities? anyway, the young actress says it is ?excellent? being with them all. ?A lot of fun? is how she describes working with musical director James Burn, Ms Shane, and choreographer Joanna Powell.

As for the future, Miss Fasulo definitely wants to become an actress and singer some day. To that end she is taking piano lessons locally while investigating performing arts colleges in the US. Meanwhile, she is a member of the St. John?s Youth Choir, and is currently rehearsing for Saltus Grammar School?s production of the musical ?Evita? next Spring.

Mr. Gilbertson sums up ?Goldilocks and the Three Bears? as ?a rollicking romp for children and adults alike? which includes many of the traditional characters one expects to find in a pantomime:

4 The hilarious Dame, Polly the Trolley, played by Richard Diamond;

the villain with a heart of gold, Awful Annie, played by Connie Dey

her sidekicks, Snitch and Snatch, played by Stephanie Hill and Charles Grainge;

4 Goldilocks? hero, Prince Rupert, played by Ashley Rockwell.

Other characters specific to this show are: Castle clown Curly Wurly (Jonathan Suter), Winnie the Wacky Witch (Donna Gauthier), and a traffic warden (Brian Billing)

The show itself opens with a send-off party for Auntie Julie, who is leaving her job of running the orphanage, much to the disappointment of the children. Things get worse when her replacement, Awful Annie, takes over and bans laughter. With encouragement from Goldilocks and Polly, the children escape. Pandemonium ensues as Snitch and Snatch are sent by Awful Annie to recapture them. Goldilocks gets lost in the woods, where she faces a series of adventures, and gets to join in a teddy bear?s picnic, along with selected children from the audience.

Snitch and Snatch eventually track down and recapture Goldilocks and Polly ? or do they? Matters come to a head back at the orphanage when Awful Annie orders everyone locked in the cellar without food. Since it is a pantomime, however, there is a chance things will turn out for the best.

The pantomime includes plenty of old favourite songs, including ?Singing in the Rain? and ?Teddy Bears? Picnic?, and the duet ?Solo Saxophone? is sung by Miss Fasulo and Ashley Rockwell.

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