There's nothing that says "Christmas is coming" quite like a traditional Christmas pantomime, and it's been a few years since Central Hawke's Bay has been treated to one.
Waipawa M&D takes to the stage tonight at the CHB Municipal Theatre with Jack and the Beanstalk by Sir Roger Hall.
Being a Hall version, it's full of Kiwi quirkiness and there's a lot of humour aimed to entertain an adult audience, but director Lisa-Jane Easter had permission from Hall to add more children to the stage, hence a cast of 40, 25 of whom are young CHB talent.
She also had permission to add some uniquely local tweaks. Easter says pantomime is "community theatre at its best".
"It brings the best out in people. Everyone wants to be in it, everyone wants to see it, it brings people together and it's a sign of good community spirit.