Pantomime at its very best with non-stop comedy, slapstick and jokes

PICTURE the idyllic village of Old Windy Bottom, all flowers, cottages and greenery.

This is the backdrop for a mighty battle between good and evil, Barbara Wood’s charming Fairy Sugardust versus Ginny Avery’s magnificently malevolent witch, Piccalilli.

The witch has created a giant (Alex Watts) who is menacing the village. Something must be done.

Enter larger-than-life Dame Dotty Dimple (Tom Mackriell), who runs the local dairy, with her two sons, Jack (a splendid pantomime boy from Laura Gow), and Simple Simon (a superb, clattering, chattering comic turn from Fiona Huntingford-Ledger), not forgetting pantomime cow Buttermilk (Sarah Enticknap and Jack Field).

Like most of us, poor Dotty is struggling with the cost of living and is being harassed by comedy bailiffs Snatchet (Adam Brimley) and Scarper (Peter Smithson). Once again, something must be done.

Dolly’s solution is to sell Buttermilk but because Jack has his eye on the pretty Princess Charlotte (Ellie Buckley), the sale is delegated to Simon, who is cheated by the dastardly Rancid (Will Lidbetter) who buys Buttermilk for a handful of beans.

The story is a familiar one and it’s not long before Jack is climbing the magic beanstalk in search of a reward to tackle the giant on his own territory and to rescue the kidnapped princess. But he has company, including Dotty, Simon, King Crumble and Queen Apricot (a suitably regal Graham Watt and Rebecca Cleverley), who have joined him on his adventure.

We have lots of gentle laughs watching the noble but doddery Humphrey, the king’s equerry (David Simmons).

In fact, there’s non-stop comedy, with slapstick, jokes and puns throughout. When Dotty opens a bakery, Mackriell and Huntingford-Ledger have the audience eating from their floury, eggy hands in a tour de force of knockabout humour. The audience also laps up the chances to sing, shout out and even go up on stage.

As well as all this family-friendly fun, we have live music, directed by Sue Huntingford-Ledger and Gaby Clements, and high-quality dancing (choreography by Virginia Chell) that is a trademark of Sinodun Players pantos.

The cast belt out some wonderful feelgood musical numbers.

Marilyn Johnstone’s costumes add extra visual appeal, not least the eye-catching purple and green outfits for the bean-growing dance, and designer Mark Wood’s set is beautiful.

Well done to everyone on stage and behind the scenes. With a cast and crew of about 100 to manage, all credit to director Erica Harley and producer Val Kent, who keep things moving from the outset through to the glitzy finale.

This production offers a tremendous night out for all the family, pantomime at its very best.

Susan Creed