On the Saturday before Christmas the people of Coll gathered together in the Village Hall for the traditional Christmas Party (which is limited to anyone under 7ft. tall) and the now traditional Pantomime.

Again, the phrase 'treading the boards' was given a new meaning. Pinocchio was the unfortunate story to be abused this year and the cast relished the prospect of reducinng a children's favourite to the level of reading The Oban Times' upside down.

Perhaps at this stage I should say a word about rehearsals... 'Panic!!'

Of course as usual the players performed manfully on the day. Peter Smalley, with his mind on the New Year's Honours List, took the part of Gepetto, Pinocchio's father and, perhaps as no one esle can, created a scene of humour and pathos out of a pretty bland script. His 'teaching Pinocchio to walk' brought back memories, I'm sure to members of the audience after a night in the Coll Hotel!

The Star of the Pantomime was, of course, Pinocchio played by Dame Moira MacIntyre. A difficult task to play a wooden boy you may say but Dame Moira brought an added stiffness to the part. Her handling of the varied situations was superb. She also did her own stunts, but as she said, it posed no problem after living at Arileod.

Allan Brodie needs no introduction to an audience. This year he requested a part more in character with his own personality to allow younger members of the cast to be in the limelight. He brought a new meaning to 'The Darling of the Woods' and caused many a heart to flutter as a rough, tough lumberjack.

Ron and Jo Davies portrayed the bears with John English as their 'little' one. What can I say except that after the performance atelegram was handed to me from the director of the Bolshoi Ballet pleading with me to send the bears to Siberia for a pup breeding programme!!

A special thanks to The Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, for the loan of the wolfs mask which, at long last I can reveal was worn by John Porrelli! It is said John wore it for a week before the production whilst working on the roads to 'get into' the part, but no-one noticed! Say no more.

Deryck Stove and Ali Anderson provided a comic couple in the lumberjack gang although a course in body building for All would be an improvement and Deryck will have to learn to juggle better.

A word should be said about lain Cochrane who, with good humour again appeared on stage to give the audience the biggest laugh of the night.

Special mention for the charming Lee Bell who sadly will no longer be with the players as she leaves to join and play the lead in, a new West End production of 'The Sound of Music' - for the deaf.

Special effects were provided by 'Flashing' Ken Jones and the special, special effects by Mairi Hedderwick, Barbara Payne and Barbara Jones who put in many hours of work to give our pantomime a touch of class.

A second performance was requested, or so they say, for 31st. December at which point the Director beat a hasty retreat to Liverpool for treatment. Neil Morrison substituted for John English as little bear and 'filled' the part admirably.

A production of 'King Lear on Ice' is in the mind of the director for this summer but his doctors say it's unlikely ever to see the stage, which is a pity... or is it?