CHRISTMAS comes in all colours at Farnworth's Harper Green High School as budding thespians prepare for a seasonal show of biblical proportions.

This year the school has chosen the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice classic musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as its Christmas show and rehearsals are already underway.

Year 10 pupil Matthew Pittfield will take the title role in the tale of a boy who rises from obscurity to the Pharaoh's right-hand man through his ability to interpret the dreams of others.

Matthew is supported by a cast of pupils from all year groups in the school.

And never shy of getting in on a class act the teaching staff at Harper Green will be ably represented in the play.

Teacher John Nunn plays Joseph's father Jacob while colleague Andrew Nichols plays Joseph's brother Ruben.

And for Maths teacher Adam Gillibrand he is just thankful that is role in the play is nothing like a dame.

Mr Gillibrand stars as the Pharaoh who bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain Elvis Presley.

In last year's production Cinderella Mr Gillibrand brought the house down with his take on one of the ugly sisters.

"At least this I get to dress up as a man," he joked.

Joseph runs between Tuesday December 11 and Friday December 14. Tickets are available from the school.s.