STUDENT actress Lara Denning answered an SOS call to play principal boy in a North Yorkshire pantomime - and sailed through her debut after only eight hours of studying the role.

Ms Denning, 21, in her final year at theatre school in London, stepped into the role of Sam in Mother Goose at Harrogate Theatre.

Theatre bosses were left with a problem when Rebecca Stokes, who had been playing the role, suffered a severe attack of laryngitis, forcing cancellation of the matinee performance on December 30.

It meant a full house of almost 500 theatregoers were left disappointed. They were given refunds or accommodated at alternative performances and theatre staff managed to contact many of them by telephone to avoid a wasted journey.

Just before curtain up at the evening performance, the audience was made aware that Ms Denning was making her debut, amid some slight changes to the script.

A theatre spokesman said: "Lara did not have time to become nervous about stepping on stage. She sailed through magnificently and won applause after applause for her performance. Certainly the audience reaction gave her a big boost.

"The rest of the cast were very supportive of Lara. But she took her big break with a fantastic performance."

Only a swordfight was removed from the panto as Ms Denning did not have time to train for the routine.

The production ends on Saturday and unless Ms Stokes makes a swift recovery Ms Denning will continue in her role.

Published: 05/01/2004