FROM James Bond to the Bard - BATS are back, bubbling with literary joie to vivre and a fabulous page-turner of a production.

Burneside Amateur Theatrical Society stage Mr Bumble’s Bewitching Bookshop, at The Bryce, from Wednesday, August 31, until Saturday, September 3 (7.30pm).

Billed as a musical journey through literature, the novel-laden tale tells of Mr Bumble, whose book store has been in his family for hundreds of years - but customers are dwindling.

When the local council decides to knock it down to make way for a by-pass, Tara Croft, all iPhones and tablets, comes to deliver the compulsory purchase order.

However, Tara is in for a surprise as she discovers that Mr Bumble’s shop holds magical secrets.

And as Mr B shows her around to educate her in the importance of books, Tara's totally entranced as they come to life before her very eyes.

In last year's successful Showstoppers, audiences enjoyed the continuity of the storyline, so Sue Cook - one of the dedicated driving forces behind the popular players - decided to take it one step further and create a story that the whole show sits within.

"Mr Bumble's Bookstore was created by me with John Dodds turning the story into a script," explains Sue.

"All the songs and shows are based on books and the premise is that as Mr Bumble opens a book to show Tara, the show/characters come out of the book."

Wearing the producer's hat also opens a new chapter for Sue.

"This is my first time creating and producing a show from scratch. However, I have had the support of the great team we have at BATS - scriptwriter, John Dodds, director, Gordon Lawson and choreographers Viki Buckley, Helen Fothergill and Clare Walker."

Sue has been singing since she was a little girl and has always loved musicals: "I played my parents’ records of My Fair Lady, The King and I and South Pacific, amongst others, over and over till I knew every songs by heart."

At the Lakes School Sue says she had the "great fortune" to have singing and piano lessons with the late and legendary Lakeland music figure, Reginald Griffiths.

"My training was very classical - mainly singing arias from operas, Gilbert and Sullivan and great works such as the Messiah.

"At the Lakes School I sang in the choir and annual Gilbert and Sullivan productions, as well as competing in the Mary Wakefield Festival. I also sang with the Keldwyth Singers, St Martin’s Church Choir and Windermere Choral Society.

Later, as a working, single mum, she stopped singing (other than round the house) until she was persuaded to join BATS for its 2007 pantomime, Cinderella.

"I've been with BATS ever since, performing in pantos, plays, cabaret nights and, of course, Showstoppers.

‘The idea for a literary theme came out of a discussion during last year’s production - ‘Round the World in 80 days’ - I like the concept of making Showstoppers a story, with the musicals and sketches connected by a common theme. Once the theme was decided I wrote a story about Mr Bumble and his magical book shop, which developed over a few months - eventually given the title of Mr Bumble’s Bewitching Book Shop by Gordon – he likes alliteration.

Star turns shine bright in the prose-perfect cast, including Jen Armitstead, Tracey Howson, Ron Milnes, Drew Newman, Elisha Selby, Louise Bell, Helen Townson, Clare Walker, Kevin Beecroft, Hayley Newman and Martin Cash.

Centre stage as Victorian bookshop proprietor Mr Bumble is John Dodds.

The Wizard of OZ kids section will perform tunes such as Over the Rainbow and We’re off to see the Wizard. There will be and umpteen numbers from Charles Dickens' Oliver, Wicked, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and music from James Bond's Skyfall, From Russia With Love and Live and Let Die, is also featured.

Even a touch of Shakespeare is thrown in for good measure with a hilarious "to be or not to be" exchange between 'Shaky' and his agent.

"With all of us spending so much time on our various electronic devices, the joy of browsing through book shops was in danger of being lost," adds Sue.

"Thankfully, book shops and libraries are seeing a resurgence and the story of Mr Bumble was created to recreate the magic of our wonderful literary heritage."

Box office 07792-777213.