Theatre Royal announce 2009 panto

Gemma Bissix is best known for her roles in EastEnders and Hollyoaks

It may only be July, but Bath's Theatre Royal is already thinking of Christmas by announcing its 2009 pantomime.

Sleeping Beauty will star long-standing actress Liza Goddard as the good fairy, and former Eastenders and Hollyoaks actress, Gemma Bissix as the bad fairy.

The new production features "dazzling special effects" including flying sequences and computer generated animation.

Sleeping Beauty runs from 17 December 2009 until 24 January 2010.

Alongside Liza and Gemma will be panto specialist Chris Harris, who returns to play Dame, Tom Owen from Last of the Summer Wine, and local comedian and presenter Jon Monie.

Chris Harris, who is based in Bristol, returns to Bath for the ninth consecutive Christmas and will also direct the traditional family pantomime.

And that's not the panto's only local connection - also returning to will be the children from Bath's Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance.