DESPITE being old school friends, young actors Liam McKenna and Alice Molnar will be crossing swords later this month.

That’s because they will be playing two of literature’s greatest foes, Captain Hook and Peter Pan, as part of this year’s Headgate Theatre pantomime.

The former Philip Morant students got to know each other after performing in Bugsy Malone at the Colchester school last year.

Liam says: “We didn’t really know each other before then but now we’ve become good friends, which has been useful for our sword fight.

“There has to be quite a bit of trust when you swiping a sword at each other’s head but with Alice I’ve been able to push it quite a bit.”

Having featured in five pantomimes before with drama group KATS, Liam is revelling in his role as the dastardly pirate.

“It’s been brilliant,” he smiles. “I’ve never seen Peter Pan so I’ve no idea how other people have done Hook which means I’ve been able to do the character my own way.”

Alice also has plenty of experience doing panto, including last year’s Headgate production and with the Mercury Theatre when they did Jack and the Beanstalk a few years ago.

“I loved doing the Headgate last year,” Alice says, “and I’m really looking forward to playing Pan this year. It’s funny because I had a gap between doing the Mercury and the Headgate and because I wasn’t doing panto I really felt something was missing from my Christmas.”

Peter Pan the Panto Headgate Theatre, Chapel Street North, Colchester.

December 9 to 13. 7pm, Wednesday to Saturday, plus extra 2.30pm shows on Saturday and Sunday.

£11, £9 concessions. 01206 366000.

www.headgatetheatre.co.uk