THEY’VE had 40 fun-filled years and they are not about to stop now.

Almondbury Methodist Church Pantomime Group promises more hilarious family fun in its latest show Frankenstein, The Panto. So nothing’s changed there then.

Generations of families have been involved in the Almondbury panto, a tradition which has become as essential an ingredient to the show as the production is to village life.

This year’s show is directed by Selwyn Shaw who appeared in the first panto, Cinderella, as one of the broker’s men. His mother was in that show back in 1973 and the Shaw family tradition continues today with three generations of them involved in Frankenstein.

There are eight performances of this year’s panto, penned by David Swann. The first is on February 9 and performances run Thursday to Saturday over two consecutive weeks.

Evening shows are at 7.15pm and the two Saturday matinees are at 2.15pm.

Most of the 100 or so people involved in getting the show under the spotlights are from the Almondbury area.

Teamwork is what it’s all about and that covers everything from producing, choreographing, lighting or appearing in the show to designing props, costumes and sets, creating the music to looking after catering, tickets, prompting. The list is endless.

Many of those involved are members of the church and any profits from the shows go back into church funds. Proceeds from the first Saturday night’s performance will be donated to Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Mike Crowther is the show’s producer and also plays twin roles on stage as Herr Pumpernickel and Count Dracula.

It seems that you don’t work with Almondbury and get just the one job. Flick through the programme and you’ll discover that many people work on and off stage to get the shows up and running and there are strong family bonds within the society.

“I’d rather be on stage but if there’s another job to do then that’s what you do,” said Mike. “I took over as producer in 2006 and work with Selwyn as director.”

Selwyn was one of the team recruited many years ago by the late John Sykes who was one of the area’s best known entertainers.

John was a semi-professional entertainer for more than 50 years. He organised concert parties and ran children’s talent contests at Ravensknowle Park and Greenhead Park.

When it was decided to rebuild Almondbury’s Methodist Church, John set up a concert party called New Bricks to help with fund-raising.

Selwyn was one of those who got involved and when it was decided in the early Seventies to try and put on a regular show in the village which would entertain all the family, he was there.

In this year’s panto, the Shaw family is well represented. Selwyn’s wife, Anne plays both Frau Pumpernickel and Granula, his son Andrew is doing the lighting, their 12 year old grand-daughter Kate is playing Mabel Crumb and son Ian has been putting his day job skills as a joiner to good use in helping to create the set.

It is a similar story with other families. Helen Appleyard’s graphic design skills have produced a striking poster for the show while her daughter, Emma uses her creative skills on stage as Ethel Ready.

The music for the show is the province of yet more stalwarts, Anne Wade on piano and John Shaw on keyboards.

Clare Helliwell is the choreographer and it’s her school, the Clare Doosey School of Dancing which has been providing the dance team for the show for many years.

“All these people put in a lot of time. Clare is bringing her team of dancers and she’s also done the choreography for the adult and junior choruses,” said Mike.

Though this year’s show might have an unusual title, it is very much in the traditional panto mould.

“It’s a fun, family show with all the traditional panto elements,” said Mike.

“It has a principal boy, a principal girl, it has a Dame and it has custard pies!”

“We get all kinds of groups in from Rainbows to residents from residential homes. We hope the show is the embodiment of a community show, of getting people through the doors and becoming part of what is going on.”

To book, call 01484 424753 and see a group with miles of panto mileage under their belts.