ANYBODY looking for a traditional family pantomime need look no further. Here is a corker that should appeal to young and old.

All the elements that make up a good panto are there, spiced up with a touch of adult humour that does not offend. There is vibrant colour in costume and lighting, plenty of sparkle with lively dancing throughout. And of course lots of audience participation.

The familiar fairy story has been lovingly tweaked and old routines refreshed with imaginative staging. The old ghost sequence takes on a new life when wrapped around a teddy bears’ picnic. Even the mirror scenes show clever invention that does away with the need for video.

The biggest surprise, and the one that won the hearts of the audience, comes with the arrival of the seven dwarfs. It is a stroke of genius to dispense with actors and children and use Muppet style puppets. They provide a joke at the expense of Disney and his original names. These guys are worth the price of the ticket alone.

In the title role Sarah-Leanne Humphreys exudes the character’s charm and goodness while Grace Riach is suitably dashing as her suitor, Prince Frederick. Nathan Charman and Ainsley Mitchell work well together as the bumbling would be murderers.

More comedy is delivered by Tony Bright (Dame Dolly Dumpling) and Nathan Potter as son Danny. Bright proves once again what an excellent panto Dame he makes while Potter, in addition to choreographing the show, bursts with frenzied energy as he engages with the audience. There are excellent contributions from Sophie McCapra, Gareth Ashley and Louis Craig.

Providing the show’s villainy Conor Baum, as wicked Queen Caligua, gives a tremendous performance both with his acting and singing. He blows up a storm in You Give Love a Bad name.