THERE was something oddly familiar about Trish Cooke’s face when I researched the writer of this year’s Theatre Royal Stratford East pantomime for this feature. And, sure enough, a quick internet search revealed her to be the one-time presenter of ‘80s children’s TV show Playdays, a staple in my household when I was growing up.

Some 20 years on, the days when Trish was the bubbly face of many an after-school journey on the make-believe Playdays bus are behind her. She is now an accomplished children’s author, actress and scriptwriter, and it is in this last capacity that I had the pleasure of talking to her, with Aladdin set to open on the Stratford stage this weekend.

Speaking about her passion for storytelling, the Yorkshire lass tells me in her comforting memory-inducing tones: “I have always enjoyed telling stories, but I had a good start, Dad used to tell me stories about the Dominican Republic (where Trish’s parents were from) and although I had never been, I would picture the place and that ignited the storyteller in me.”

The author of numerous books for children, including the multi award-winning So Much, Trish returns to the TRSE on something of a fanfare, reuniting with the same creative team who notched up the first ever Olivier Award nomination for a pantomime for their 2007 production of Cinderella.

“There is definitely a bit of pressure following the success of Cinderella and it was quite a challenge,” the mother-of-two admits, “but I was very much looking forward to it and have had lots of fun writing and watching rehearsals. In fact, we have made lots of changes during rehearsals, it’s very much a joint effort.”

Sticking to the winning formula of Cinderella, Trish, who also wrote Running Dream (1993), Gulp Fiction (1996) and Pinocchio (2005) for the TRSE, says she has tried to make the “theme more current and relevant,” adding that it “should appeal to the very specific audience at the TRSE, young and old.”

Unlike many pantos up-and-down the country who count on celebrities to pull in the crowds, Trish, who has also written for the Tweenies, EastEnders and BBC Radio 4, explains the “story is the most important thing at the TRSE,” and taking the role of Aladdin is rising theatre star Darren Kuppan.

A former ballroom and Latin American dancer from Chester, whose first experience of pantomime was acting in Puss in Boots alongside Melvyn Hayes and Jenny Powell when he was eight, the actor says of his character: “He is a bit of a street Aladdin, down with the kids, a typical 16-year-old who doesn’t want to do anything but go out with his friends and chill out.”

A newcomer to the TRSE, Darren shares Trish’s sentiment that the theatre has a “wonderful atmosphere,” adding that “because it’s such a great venue everybody wants to do well.”

As for the show itself, the young star enthuses: “The audience will have a great time, it’s fun, energetic and magical, it’s like a carnival.”

Aladdin runs at Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, from Saturday, November 28 to Saturday, January 16. Tickets: 020 8534 0310 or www.stratfordeast.com (£6-£19)