... The New Adventures of Peter Pan Southend-on-Sea What was Edwardian, gentle, subtle and, yes. rather fey has become brash, raucous and in-yer-face in Terry Morrison's production at the Cliffs Pavilion. The enigmatic James Barrie would recognise his material but it is played at full volume for the MTV age. Thus Shane Richie as Mr Darling swaggers about telling jokes with a strong Estuary ...

... Aladdin Hastings White Rock Theatre, once a huge hospital, is a rambling place with a large stage. Paul Hammond's cure is to engage 68 babes and dancers, sending them on stage in alternating troupes of 20. Strong and colourful production scenes are the result, with performers even dancing in the aisles via Lisa Jarrett's choreography. Mitchell Armstrong has much to do as a strangely hatless ...

... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Shanklin, loW Pantomimes at Shanklin Theatre just get better each year and this is a feast of fun, colour, surprises and excitement, with enough tradition to delight audiences with a wonderfully messy kitchen scene and a brief but effective ghost sequence. The real success of any Snow White production so often depends on the evil queen. In this case Traci Porter ...

... Dick Whittington and His Cat Chipping Norton Dick Whittington began his journey to London from Coberley, just a few miles from Chipping Norton, so it's appropriate that he is the subject of this years panto at The Theatre. Contrary to principal boy cus tom, Charles Baker is the amiable adventurer, and although he is given a warm welcome into the Rtzwarren household, Sarah the Cook isn't ...

... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Redhill Attractive dancing choreographed by Helen Jeckells is the heart and soul of a polished production at the Harlequin Theatre. All branches excel to provide a great treat for the Christmas family outing. Comedy comes across in a relaxed manner with Richard Dax a homely and highly effective Dame and Peter Simon romping with the children as Muddles. He talks ...

... Peter Pan Cardiff The great strength of this excellent New Theatre Christmas show lies in its firm emphasis on storyline. True, there are songs, dances and traditional pantomime routines incorporated, but essentially this E&B Production, directed by Derek Nicholls, faithfully follows JM Barrie's classic children's fairytale. As the little boy who refuses to grow up, Sonia makes a spirited ...

... Aladdin Doncaster David Lee's Panton Production at the Civic, with its well-plotted storyline, includes four original and appropriate songs, one of which is penned by Linda Wells, a bright-eyed Aladdin with a splendid voice and great stage presence. There is a delightful duet, Angels, with Kristi du Valle, a grace ful, self-assured princess with a modem vocal style. Prominent as Abanazar, ...

... Cinderella Uandudno At first sight, the North Wales Theatre's Cinderella is firmly in the tradition of commercial panto com plete with TV soap stars. But in Peter Purves' directorial hands pantomime takes absolute priority. While Steven Pinder and Karen Dairy make great play of their Brookside marriage, even allowing a non-viewer like me to understand the jokes, they are first and fore most ...

... Jack and the Beanstalk Hull Much to the delight of New Theatre audiences, Billy Pearce, who proved to be such a hit throughout last year's panto season, returns as Jack, under direction from David Lee and Rita Proctor. And, with his own particular brand of high-octane tomfoolery, he delivers the goods yet again. This Pantoni Pantomime pro duction, with a fresh script by Lee, really is topclass ...

... A Christmas Carol Liverpool After three years of darkness the refurbished Playhouse opens with a prestigious, heart-searching production directed with sensitivity by Richard Williams. The tableau, where the poor and dejected stand on different levels before huge, towering build ings (designed by David Collis), is filled with a swirling fog. A single beam shines down on Scrooge, while his ...

... Dick Whittington and His Cat Basingstoke Glitz is there, thanks to the sparkling costumes, the glamour is there, down to Ana Boulter as Dick, and there is plenty of humour, compliments of veteran pantomime writers Christopher Lillicrap and Jeanette Ranger, but there is a distinct lack ot momentum in this production at the Anvil. Rodney Bewes as Sarah the Cook is not as quick off the mark as ...

... Cinderella Yeovil Pantoni choreographer Rita Proctor has a notable directing debut in this production at the Octagon Theatre where she has crafted a traditional pantomime treat. By the first half closer featuring a glitter coach and Shetland ponies, grown-ups have recognised the enchantment of Cinderella pre sentations long past. Yet David Lees original music and script plus high-energy ...