Last night, the large and appreciative audience for the final performance of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", witnessed the effects of a little more drama than John Moreley's hilarious pantomime had ever intended. After all you don't expect Goldilocks to have had her jaw dislocated by a gorilla nor the leading villain struck down with such a back injury as to warrant his last minute replacement by an unrehearsed stagehand. But such was the drama of this years' MI Amateur Theatre Company's achievement - one which will be talked about for a good while no doubt.

This version of Goldilocks takes place in Sadie Spangle's (Des Lavery) threadbare circus. A troupe whose future is threatened by the dastardly Bloodthirsty Black - played by the heroic stand-in (for injured Andy Frost) Paul Wood - who marvelously embodies the worst excesses of globalisation - buying up all the little circuses of the world so nobody can compete with his big time, whip-cracking outfit. Is there an embedded message here for the little Magnetic community in the face of developers?

Poor Elle Cox as Goldilocks - unable to beam her full1000-watt smile - after colliding the night before with the show's gorilla and in considerable pain - bravely kept her role alive while Des Lavery - as the astonishing Sadie Spangle - pushed his buxomity to the max and hammed the kindly tart for all she was worth.

The very cute bears: Bob Moon as Daddy Bear, Corallie Melvin as Mumma Bear and Trish Hamilton - who just about steals the show with her Baby Bear rap dance - were a delight and along with Sadie's persona bore testament to some fine backstage costume and make-up work by Maria Neagle. The set was fun too with a great walk-on waterfall by Christine Spain.

One of the really gratifying features of this year's performance was the integration of younger people into a large proportion of the important roles. Alongside pretty Elle was probably the Island's most experienced resident actor: Luke Phillippo - even if his voice is yet to break. Luke's Ronnie the Ringmaster was assured at all times even if his role didn't offer that much room for someone of Luke's range.

Another young performer, Joey the Clown (Kas Zierl) was natural and, all importantly, confident enough to carry the role of audience rouser.

Phil Coleman, as Pedro the Gypsy, was a good partner for Bloodthirsty Black to vent a little nastiness while Belinda the fairy (Kelly Gretch) was a wonderful dramatic and visual antidote to Black's belligerent bellows.

Congratulations and the warmest thanks are in order to Director, Wilma Grier and all her crew who have once again shown how much magic there is in Magnetic.

George Hirst