IT was the first of April, but they were not fooling about. From 4am they queued outside York Theatre Royal with one thing on their mind: Christmas.

Cinderella is not written yet. We can be sure of slippers and sisters and balls when the pantomime takes to the stage eight months from now, but nothing else is certain.

That doesn't matter. As long as Berwick is there, making his usual frock ups, it will be magical. Only Mr Kaler can cast the sort of spell which sees folk lining up in the middle of the night to buy panto tickets - two weeks before Easter.

Updated: 10:01 Monday, April 03, 2006