A Christmas Riddle

When Wicked Witch discovers Santa's secret cave, she covets it for her own. To drive him from the tinsel-trimmed toyshop, she must first abolish his customs. So she conjures a potion to make all the Christmas presents disappear.

Tinkerbell has forgotten the antidote, so she leaves to find her book of magic. But someone has misnumbered the pages. She casts the wrong spell, and a cowboy materialises who is no use at all in releasing Santa.

Other friends Rabbit, Dustbin and Waitress pile in to help evict the uninvited tenant and her sidekick Freddie. When the magic fails again, Tinkerbell comes up with a cunning plan. What the Witch fears most is laughter and sweet singing. How can the good fairy arrange that in time?

The play is for boys and girls of seven upwards, but there's a message within on the necessity to defend favoured traditions against those out to destroy them.

This play was first produced at The Bay Street Theatre, Sydney, Australia on 16 December 1986 as Santa and the Witch's Spell with a professional cast. New Century Drama published it as A Christmas Riddle in 2000. This pantomime has been a favourite of schools and amateur groups over the past thirty years.

Louise Byres is a pseudonym of novelist and screenwriter Louise Burfitt-Dons.