The wonderful world of Wolverhampton's panto dame

Welcome to the weird and wacky world of the pantomime dame, and a glimpse inside this year's extravagant dressing room at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre.

Rows of dresses, jewellery and shoes line up ready to dazzle at each performance of this year's panto.

And, ladies take note. While the time it takes women to get ready for a good knees- up may be the stuff of many a household dispute, this dame can transform herself from one wacky creation to the next in less than a minute.

Taking the role of Queen Passionella in the production of Sleeping Beauty, comedy female impersonator and cabaret star Ceri Dupree rapidly changes between 11 jaw-dropping costumes during the course of the show – each more outlandish than the last.

"I believe the dame should change on every entrance. Because there are 11 changes, there are 11 pairs of shoes, 11 sets of jewellery, 11 wigs and headdresses.

"You have got to be organised. It's run like a military operation.

"We do a 42-second change in this show, which is a killer," he admits. "Others I have 10 minutes for, the more elaborate ones.

"I have two people helping me and it's literally choreographed like a routine. You take things off to a beat in the music. You have got to be on the ball. Seconds tick away and then you're late."

Towering feathered headdresses and blinding sequins are only some of the elements that make up Mr Dupree's enormous and spectacular outfits, one of which weighs as much as a sack of potatoes, while another cost thousands of pounds to make.

Apart from one – a dress worn by the late, great Danny La Rue in the 1969 production of Queen Passionella and the Sleeping Beauty at the Saville Theatre in London – they have all been personally designed by Mr Dupree.

"I always say if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing," he says.

"I don't have any that are really favourites or that I'm most proud of. I just hope they all get ooh's and aah's.

"They are all uncomfortable," he laughs. "With two shows a day your feet are killing you, but it gets a laugh and that's what I'm here for." Mr Dupree explains that the entrance costume for any self-respecting panto dame has to be one that draws gasps.

And his toppling hat made out of real ostrich feathers – dyed pink and blue, of course – and matched by a garish turquoise sequinned dress certainly does that. Mr Dupree insists his finale costume should remain a secret from those who have not yet seen the show, which also stars comedian Joe Pasquale, and we wouldn't want to spoil that (oh no we wouldn't!).

We can reveal that it is worth a fabulous £5,000 and weighs over 50 pounds.

And what I certainly can say is that while some may dismiss the distinctly British art form of pantomime as tacky, adults who have not seen one since childhood may be surprised at what polished, elaborate spectacles they have become.