Exploited? Oh Yes, She Was! Novelist Caitlin Davies Was Thrilled When Her Daughter Won a Role in a Professional Panto. What Happened Next Was a Very Salutary Tale

Byline: by Caitlin Davies

CHRISTMAS wouldn't be Christmas without the great British panto. Goodies and baddies, beauties and beasts, Cinderellas and ugly sisters. What child wouldn't want to take part in such a festive favourite?

That was the dream of my 11-year-old daughter, Ruby. She has a very loud voice and likes nothing better than being the centre of attention. She loves The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, and for five years she's been desperate to perform on stage.

So when she was invited to join the cast of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs last year, she was overjoyed. Hi ho, hi ho, I thought, it's off to stardom we go.

But parents be warned, because my daughter's panto dream turned into a complete nightmare.

Ruby's theatrical ambitions began when she was six and joined a Saturday morning drama class. She loved it so much that she joined another, weekday class and was asked to try out for an acting agency.

When your child is told she's 'good' at something, it's hard to say no. So we signed a contract, provided 'up-to-date professional headshots' -- and then followed years of fruitless auditions.

Ruby went for roles, along with hundreds of others, …

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Publication information: Article title: Exploited? Oh Yes, She Was! Novelist Caitlin Davies Was Thrilled When Her Daughter Won a Role in a Professional Panto. What Happened Next Was a Very Salutary Tale. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: Daily Mail (London). Publication date: December 8, 2011. Page number: 65. © 2007 Daily Mail. COPYRIGHT 2011 Gale Group.

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