Prepare to be transported to old Peking in this classic panto for all the family; think toe-tapping song and dance routines, jokes and slapstick, special effects, a deliciously nasty baddie aka Jafarazad (Jessica Broadbent), a few surprises (all aboard the magic flying carpet), mischievous topical and local references, and our dame, Widow Twankey, played by Josh Rettie, is just brilliant! 

The cast is a really talented bunch: Sam Littlewood is back in Hunstanton, as Aladdin; Freya Barton is Princess Jasmine – her ‘Shake it off’ will be a hit with Swifties; Amy Robinson plays the Spirit of the Ring and Lewis Southall is the Emperor. Hats off, too, to Harrison Fox and Georgia Parker, and the dancers from the Rollason Stage School in Dersingham, plus the crew behind the scenes. I loved the sets and costumes – especially Widow Twankey’s eye-catching wardrobe.  

There’s plenty of opportunity for audience participation – oh yes there is (and yes, I did, and my YMCA moves were quite respectable at the end!) All in all, it was a fabulously fun and festive experience, I only wish it had gone on for a bit longer… where’s that genie of the lamp when you need a wish or three?!

Aladdin at the Princess Theatre, Hunstanton, runs until 4 January, select dates. 

www.princesshunstanton.co.uk