LOUIE Westwood can't resist a good prank. He knows the ins, the outs, and everything in between.

After all, he deadpans, you don't fall for every trick in the panto handbook without picking up one or two of your own - though he's not immune to the odd glitch.

"I grew up with panto. It's part of the whole Christmas experience; it sets the mood," enthuses Louie, who is poised to play dopey Ugly Sister Betty to David Ashley's Machiavellian Brenda in the Wyvern's Cinderella. "But when I was a kid every single year they played pranks on the audience. They'd say, 'Everyone get your programmes out, there's a number in the corner, we'll pull a number out of a hat and if it's yours jump up, say it's me and you'll win a TV'. Every year without fail I fell for it. I hope they don't do it this year, because I'll be on stage jumping, shouting, 'I've won, I've won'."

After a childhood spent being hoodwinked as a humble spectator at the Birmingham Hippodrome, Louie turned the tables, by dipping his toes into professional panto. His first role as Widow Twankey in Aladdin gave him ample opportunity to hone his slapstick nous and lark around.

But he always harboured ambitious to tread the boards in his favourite fairy tale, Cinderella.

In his mind's eye, of course, he was not swaddled in quite so many layers of stifling white fur. And he certainly did not picture himself sporting a fluffy oversized heart on his chest or floppy bunny ears. But all the better, he cackles.

"I love the costumes, the glitter in panto," booms Louie who studied musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. "But it's a bit hot," he concedes. "On stage I'll be like, 'Someone get me a fan!' I'm so sweaty, I'm going to lose ten pounds."

"Cinderella is my favourite panto," he goes on. "It was always my favourite Disney film. It has something for everyone. It's a classic story. And I'm really excited to be working with David; he's so lovely. We get on so well."

For all his eagerness to get to grips with dumb Betty, Louie is no stranger to the loathsome Ugly Sisters. Last year, he enjoyed his first taste of the fairytale as one of the despicable siblings in the alternative adult panto Tinderella. This time though, the vain crone will put a lid on the innuendos and racy banter.

"It probably wasn't quite the same tone," he grins roguishly.

"The script for this is so well written. There are aspects of improvisation and you can put your own spin," he smiles from ear to ear at the prospect. "But it will be very different. I can't wait. Panto is always so much fun as an actor. It changes every night; it depends on people's response. I've heard a lot of good things about the audience at the Wyvern. I hear there's a lot booing. Bring it on!"