WHAT better way to celebrate the holidays than with a traditional panto – especially one that sends young children into excitement overdrive!
It was wonderfully loud and brash – perhaps a little long at three-and-a-half hours, but the kiddies lapped up every minute, content to scream their heads off all the way.
There was plenty to hold their attention – the very mention of bums triggered mischievous giggles, whereas asides directed towards their parents, sailed blissfully over their heads.
Director Sarah Hall remained true to the familiar story, espousing any temptation to employ a modern adaptation and retaining the sacred traditions of "oh-yes-it-is" and "she's-behind-you".
Thanks to palace decorators Botchitt and Leggitt (Hannah Powell and Vicky Hughes), there was plenty of daft humour and an abundance of mess with a well-worn slop-fight.
Leah Hall displayed oodles of confidence as Bertie, the palace factotum, and Jessica Bunce retained a sense of shyness that we expect from Snow White.
Meanwhile, our Evil Queen had so depleted local stocks of viciousness that one mum needed to reassure her daughters that Paige Grant-Lloyd was only acting.
As the song goes, There's Nothing Like A Dame, and Martin Egerton tottered in his high heels and cackled as Ma Bumble, mother to the seven dwarfs.
When it came to singing, however, Martin had to deliver the tongue twisting Court of King Caractacus, not once but twice, easy if you're Rolf Harris, but challenging if not.
A fairytale story with a happy ending interwoven with songs, dance and laughter – when it comes to panto, what more could you want?
Trevor Ekins