... Phantom of the Opera on Ice Birmingham/Touring Wild Rose Productions has assem bled a top-flight cast of Russian skaters, all of them champions and medal-winners, for this production, which aims to break new ground as a piece of theatre rather than as an ice show. The skating is superb, and though the dimensions of the Alexandra stage in Birmingham confine the skaters, they only serve to ...

... Sleeping Beauty Canaston By staging a panto and giving staff, food stalls and gift shops Yuletide trappings, the Oakwood becomes Magical Christmasland and the only British theme park to open for the festive season. The solid-walled marquee the atre has gained tiered seating for this year's offering, a traditional and pretty mundane affair directed by Scott-Paul Young, in which a solid cast and ...

... Cinderella Bath Hardup Hall has been relocated to the East End of London for the Paul Elliott production of Cinderella that is packing them in at the Theatre Royal. The star attraction is Patsy Palmer, who plays Bianca in EastEnders, and along with a strong supporting cast, she brings considerably more cheer to the occasion than she and her col leagues manage in the TV soap. This may be ...

... Robin Hood and The Babes in the Wood Scarborough One of the great advantages of writing a panto script is the licence that can be used whatever the title. And certainly Jon Conway and Nick Thomas of Artist Management Group have let their imaginations run wild, dovetailing two established stories into one. The result is a superb produc tion and wonderful entertainment at The Spa, proving that a ...

... First rule of panto don't make it too long H arrogate Cinderella Eighty five minutes is almost the length of a football match, and it is is the length of Harrogate pantos first act. Whatever are they thinking of? Are they training young audi ences for a forthcoming production of Long Day's Journey Into Night? Have they never taken young chil dren to an uncomfortably long panto and had them ...

... The Sleeping Beauty Epsom Princess Briar Rose is delivered to the castle by a stork on point to endure her hideous fate for 100 years, hoping that a Prince will put her back into circulation. But meantime, the doom and gloom is dispelled and the show becomes a riot of fun and games. The Playhouse's panto is going up in the charts this is its best ever. Robert McKewley is a marvel lous jester, ...

... Rumpelstiltskin-- the Christinas Musical Coleraine Wholesome family entertainment is served up again here at the Riverside, as homegrown theatre company Kabosh stages its interpretation of fairytale classic Rumpelstiltskin. Kabosh has matured well since bursting on to the stage with a vig orous and rapturously received Macbeth the Musical a few years ago. Rumpelstiltskin features the company's ...

... Cinderella Chichester To participate in the best of pantomime entertainment, a visit to Cinderella at the Festival is essential. This E&B production combines the characteristics of traditional pantomime and the nineties to great effect. A truly magical set by Hugh Durrant and splendid cos tumes by Tim Goodchild provide a visual feast which, allied with a fun, value for money programme, can ...

... Sell-out show, deservedly so Belfast Cinderella Gloriously colourful, comic-cut set and costumes by Caroline McCullough, terrific singalong music performed live by Jules Maxwell and friends, pretty fairy lights and superb special effects from Aidan Lacey, script and direction from Peter Quigley- the familiar Arts Theatre line-up is out in force for this years Christmas extravaganza. The ...

... There Was an Old Woman Belfast Children, on and off stage, take over the Lyric Players for There Was an Old Woman. And the audience was the kind every actor dreams of completely rapt not a single rus tle of sweet wrapper. Youngsters bring the whole joy ous story to life and the only two grown-ups in the cast very willingly become children themselves. Dan Gordon as Mother Shipton, nomi nally in ...

... Aladdin Mansfield Nobody does it better than the Palace serving up a Mansfield panto. A song or two, a bit of dancing, a plot avoiding sidetracks, some chit-chat and business among the cast. Otherwise it is straight from the shoulder stuff and no vocal holds barred. He's behind you Spot him, or a chorus of voices will tell you what they think of your eyesight. The jolly mayhem is savoured ...

... Jack and the Beanstalk Margate Second oldest provincial theatre in the country, the Theatre Royal, has been dark so often it is a delight to see it glowing again with pantomime. Gordon Clarkson Productions have brought in a lively, cosy, very traditional show, which after Christmas moves on to the Town Hall Arts Centre. Haverhill. It is a young company, the doyenne of them all being Sheila ...