Behind the scenes with one of Yorkshire's most feisty panto dames

That's part of the fun. And to Dame O'Connor, playing Mrs Gepetto, it's a great opportunity to slip in the odd coal mining joke.

"I'm not allowed to say half of what I'd like to say," he admitted. "I'd probably offend half of Richmond. It's like being the court jester, you get to make fun of the people in power. I have got to be reined in."

The role of panto Dame is a feted British tradition. Men in tights, with gaudy frocks, over-the-top makeup and domesday hair. This year's production of Pinocchio is O'Connor's second as Dame, and fifth with the theatre. When he replaced the popular Gary Bridgens he was a "little bit" nervous. It was "big boots to fill", and Bridgens' had been Dr Martens.

"I wanted to be a little more glamorous," said the loud Liverpudlian. "Not 'drag-queen-glamorous', especially as I'm not in real life. But the thing with being a Dame is that people have got to realise it's a bloke in a dress. My Dame is a working class Liverpool housewife. I didn't want to go too Lily Savage... There are bits where it's coarse I suppose. But nothing too risque. Maybe a little bit political.

“I take particular delight in any audible gasps of disapproval from the audience. Mostly it's a stunned silence."

So why does pantomime work, and why do people return year after year?

"They do ask 'is it that guy again? Then I'm not going'. Nah, they don't, not really. It's a great relationship," said Mr O'Connor. "We feed off the audience - and they feed off us.”

There are some odd traditions in Richmond, one of which is the throwing of Tunnocks' teacakes. Every year, the theatre is sent them for free, to be thrown at the Dame. Then there's knitted pieces. This year it's knitted fish, because Pinnochio gets swallowed by a whale. Last year it was lamps, from Aladdin. One year, when O'Connor was the Lion in the Wizard of Oz, it was doughnuts. There was an Elvis Presley theme going on, he explained.

"We get thousands of knitted items sent in," he said. "You get one person sending 300 knitted fishes. They're incredible."

This is a small cast, with five actors alongside the musical director and musician. A young company of schoolchildren. Most of those at the Georgian are volunteers. And there's always a musical undertone. This year Mickity Cricket is inspired by Mick Jagger.

"It's a good excuse to play a bit of the Rolling Stones," said Mr O'Connor.

“We have a great time. It's a very 'Merry Christmas to all, and Bah Humbug'.”

Pinocchio, written and directed by Clare Allen, runs at The Georgian Theatre in Richmond until January 8.