FARINGDON Dramatic Society is set to return to the Community Centre Theatre for a pantomime production in the New Year - for the first time since leaving the Community Association to become independent in May, 1995. But it will not be a permanent arrangement.

The Society has reached agreement following protracted negotiations over terms. It has booked the Theatre to perform the panto- mime Sleeping Beauty on January 23,24 and 25, and again on January 30 and 31 and February 1. It will be directed by Carole Tappenden. But for its next production, an Agatha Christie whodunnit, the Society will be performing at Faringdon School. The production of Witness for the Prosecution, directed by Joan Lee, has been booked for November 7,8 and 9. In order to help those who find the out-of-town venue difficult, the Society is laying on special transport. Meanwhile the Corn Exchange has been booked for the Society's May production, on May 15,16 and 17. The Chairman of the Society, Alistair Warner, has made it clear to the Folly that the use of both Faringdon School and the Community Centre Theatre are somewhat experimental'. He declares: "We will, after each of these productions, be meeting to evaluate their relative merits, and deciding how suitable we think they are for use in the future. "Provided that they are found to be acceptable, then the Society will be free to choose between the Corn Exchange, the Community Centre Theatre and Faringdon School, for the venue that is most suitable on a production-by-production basis.

"I do not see the Society making any long-term commitment to any one venue, as was the case in the past, for the forseeable future. Each director will be given the flexibility to choose the venue that they feel will be most appropriate for their production."