LIGHTHOUSE, Poole’s Centre for the Arts, promises adventure, laughs and magical surprises galore this pantomime season with its exciting new production of Robin Hood.

The dashing hero of Sherwood Forest will be entertaining family audiences with his band of Merry Men from December 5 to January 4, 2015.

CBBC’s Ed Petrie (All Over the Place, Marrying Mum and Dad) takes on the role of Robin, and will be familiar to Poole audiences from his 2011 panto appearance in Cinderella.

Ed is joined by Tom Bright as Friar Tuck, who also writes and directs the Lighthouse panto for the third year running. Tom is one of the country’s top pantomime directors and is responsible for writing and performing the song for popular 1970s children’s television series Tiswas.

He has appeared on TV in a number of comedy series alongside the likes of Mike Reid and Russ Abbot.

The role of the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham will be played by Patrick O’Kane (Game of Thrones, The Borgias, Jamaica Inn) who dazzled Poole pantogoers last year as Fleshcreep in Jack and the Beanstalk. Patrick is a classically trained actor whose stage credits include the title role of Macbeth for the Royal Shakespeare Company and War Horse in London’s West End.

Back by popular demand are Lighthouse favourites Neil Smye and Dan Looney, whose comic timing and ability to get audiences crying with laughter has become synonymous with the Poole panto. Local actresses Stephanie Walker and Alicia Woodhouse have worked their way up through the pantomime ranks and now take on the parts of the Woodland Fairy and Maid Marion respectively.

Non-stop thrills and spills are the order of the day as Robin takes on his arch-rival the Sheriff of Nottingham and still finds time to catch the eye of the beautiful Maid Marion in this classic tale.

There’s sing-along tunes, dancing, slapstick, silliness and lots of chances to join in.

Tickets are on sale now.