EVERY panto has its dame or its ugly sisters. But in the Theatre Royal's pantomimes you can always find some babes as well.

Once a year, Brighton's budding child stars get their chance to shine in the theatre's annual pantomime. This year, more than 400 hopefuls clamoured for only 16 places at an open audition for Aladdin back in September.

The lucky few get to sing and dance in every one of the panto's production numbers, rubbing shoulders with celebrities and learning the ins-and-outs of theatre at a tender age.

Some of them long to be dancers or actors when they grow up. Some say they just want 'normal' jobs. For some their love of the stage has come out of the blue - and for others the treadmill of auditions and rehearsals is a chore imposed by a typical 'pushy mum'.

But all are hand-picked by Brighton-based director, choreographer and actor Antony Johns, who coaches them himself.

And he says the variety of backgrounds and aspirations makes for a much better panto: "The open audition is a unique process here. Most big pantomimes get their little ones straight from one dancing school. But I like to give everyone a chance."

"I like it when a child is really natural. Kids who have been to stage school can sometimes lose their naturalness. These kids have more than just dancing ability - they have strong personalities."

Sisters Katie and Ami Instone have been dancing since they were three. Nine-year-old Katie refused to be in the shadow of her 12-year-old sister - she followed Ami into dance classes because she thought she could do even better.

This is the sixth Theatre Royal panto for Ami, who was just six when she first trod the boards. She has been lucky enough to get through the tough audition every year - but not everyone does.

She said: "The audition is the worst bit. Girls can be in it one year and not get in the next. So many people cry when they get turned away."

Fourteen-year-old Scarlett Quinn agreed: "It's so horrible, when it gets down to the last few people, all you can think is please, pick me."

And mum Julie Dawes, whose 11-year-old daughter Coral is also a Theatre Royal babe, said: "We feel so upset when they don't get chosen, but I think they can cope better than us."

Katie and Ami, both from Hove, say their mum Carolyn helps them cope with auditions and rehearsals. Katie said: "Our mum encourages us. She wants us to do as much as we can at a young age so when we grow up we get good opportunities."

But the pair admit they were asked to appear on the Big Breakfast in a slot about 'pushy mums'. And Coral, from Peacehaven, said: "Some mums pamper their children and don't help anyone else. They only do their own kid's make-up and they can be mean to other kids."

Julie, 38, says the pushy mum image is unfair: "All these kids are old enough to know if they want to do this, they can't be forced into anything."

And according to Ami, Coral's mum has just as much fun as they do: "She's always trying on costumes and doing the splits in the changing rooms. I think she wants to be on stage with us!"

The babes all agree that doing the pantomime is great fun. For Ami, a birthday in panto season leads to practical tricks every year: "Last year Antony splattered the cake in Katie's face and everyone laughed.

"And when we're supposed to be quiet in the wings Antony always comes and makes us laugh. Then he gets into trouble."

Antony Johns admits he can be a bad influence: "I'm the worst person to be around them sometimes. I don't feel anything like a father figure. I feel more like their silly older brother.

"And I have to watch what I say. They're really sharp, these kids. If I say something with a double meaning they always know what it means. I've got to keep my mouth zipped shut!"

It is true that the babes are not as innocent as they look. According to Ami, all of them are in love with actor Jonathan Wilkes, who plays Aladdin. She said: "It has to be me who fancies him most. He's gorgeous."

But Coral reckons has the hots for the star as much as Ami. She said: "We all fight with each other for who gets to stand nearest to him on stage."

In general, the babes are far from star-struck when it comes to working with big-name celebrities. Scarlett, Whitehawk, Brighton, has worked as a junior presenter for the Disney Channel, rubbing shoulders with such heart-throbs as Westlife, Boyzone and Backstreet Boys. She said: "You see another side to them when you work with them. I interviewed the band Vanilla and they were really horrible to me."

Twelve-year-old Poppy Millerick of Coombe Road, Brighton, is enjoying her first year as a babe. Unlike the others, she has only been dancing for a year. But she thinks she will catch up: "I want to be a dancer when I grow up. Some people in my family think I'm going to be famous."

Only Katie spurns a career in showbiz. She says she wants to be a vet: "I saw an episode of Animal Hospital when a cat was stuck somewhere, and I thought I would be able to rescue it."

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