... Ironmlstress Cardiff An imposing naked female figure, cast in iron, dominates the setting and action of this April de Angelis play. In its shadow, Martha, the widow of 19th century ironmaster Abraham Darby, fights to control her foundry in a man's world, gaining a reputation as an uncompromising ironmistress. But as she prepares her wilful daughter, nicknamed Little Cog, for marriage, ...

... Carmen Cambridge/Touring Sex and violence, passion in an exotic setting and irresistible tunes make Bizet's opera a favourite with audiences. From the opening bars of the overture, taken at a cracking pace by conductor Paul McGrath, this is an exhilarating production. Staged at the Cambndge Arts Theatre, it is costumed by Chrissie Madison in the latest clubbing fashions, sung in English and, ...

... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Scunthorpe One of the good things about panto is that the storylines are flexible. For instance, I do not remember a Court Jester in the Disney version of this great tale but here we have Dusty the Court Jester, played brilliantly by Rusty Goffe, bringing an extra dimension of fun to this great John Spillers production at the Plowright. Goffe teams up with the ...

... Peter Pan Guildford Peter Pan is usually all plot without padding and at the Yvonne Amaud you could add colourful presentation with vivid designs by Gary Underwood and clever lighting by Trevor Wallace. Fronting the exciting scenery is a vivacious and cheeky Peter Pan performed by Issy van Randwyck. She throws herself wholeheartedly into the role, playing in the principal boy style with clear ...

... Dick Whittington Edinburgh When it comes to a big panto experience with all the trimmings, then the King's Theatre comes out on top. But, while the acting and up to the minutes gags are spot on, the production does have some serious flaws. Dorothy Paul excels as a Fairy Bowbells who is never too nice to care about. She deals with a half hearted insertion into the script of getting the audience ...

... Aladdin Lewisham No matter what adults may think, there is no denying the instant bond that TV star Timmy Mallett has with children. The show's publicity sums up the approach accurately: no TV soap stars, no sporting names, but a variety-based cast seriously chas ing laughs and presenting old-fash ioned comedy and slapstick. It is a pantomime aimed squarely at the kids. Mallett as Aladdin has ...

... Yule Brighton Late-night cabaret aimed at an adult audience is likely to be risque, so it comes as a surprise that there are only a couple of four-letter words to be heard at the Komedia. I guessed it would be a drag act and I was half right. Tina C, the glamorous country and western star is the fella. Barbara Nice, the middle-aged mum with five kids from Stockport, is obviously just that. She ...

... Young Dick Whittington and His Groovy Cat Jacksons Lane This show has a somewhat early start, but a hard-working cast soon warms up the youngsters by using every known seasonal ingredient to create a quality atmosphere. Produced and directed by Brian Hewitt-Jones, here is proof that less can mean more, as the venue can not accommodate too much theatri cal trickery. Carty Romaine in the lead ...

... Cinderella Liverpool This show at the Neptune is played at full tilt, packed with excitement, full of fun, frivolity and sheer verve and bounces along from beginning to end. Sytvie Gatrill plays the ebullient Fairy Godmother, enchanting every one with her feisty good humour. Her Cher number is brilliant. The show's more sinister side comes from the Ugly Sisters, an outra geous pair of ...

... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Scarborough If audience reaction is any gauge of things, then British Stage Productions' show is a resounding success. The audience, young and old, did their best to raise the roof off the Spa Theatre. This is not the most lavish pantomime the region has to offer, nor is it blessed with the box office pulling power of huge names. But boy does it get back to what ...

... Dog Well Done Finborough If you ever buy a hot dog from a street vendor, spare a thought for the web of vendetta and violence that might have provided seasoning. Potentially a microcosm for dogeat-dog capitalism, in Stephen Keyworth's play the sausage sandwich is more literally the focal point of a cycle of blood-lust perpetuated by the dog of war Grist a tyrannical bringer of economic ...

... Are Unheard Memories Sweet? Edinburgh/Touring Lung Ha's, the theatre company which provides opportunities for adults with learning difficulties, has stepped back from its large-scale productions of recent years for a more compact, touring show. Not that cc-directors and writers lohn Mitchell and Louise Ironside have compromised story telling or production values in any way. This is a ...