Leading Article: Cinders lives in Albert Square

Some people are so stuffy. The idea that pantomime should ban soap opera stars in order to return to its traditional roots, as one leading theatre director suggests, is ridiculous.

Consider the history of our pantos and the mummers' plays that preceded them. Each follows a formula: simple, familiar plot (usually including love, greed, betrayal, and misunderstanding), predictable characters, heavy overdramatisation, and a moral message or two.

In fact, they sound remarkably like our soap operas today. The bigwigs of theatreland should wake up; EastEnders, Coronation Street and Brookside are the true heirs to Aladdin, Cinderella and Mother Goose.