This is the season of goodwill and all that and younger audience members appeared to have a good time so perhaps I should abandon a baa-humbug approach and look for the good things in the Grand Opera House’s annual pantomime.

The problem is that nothing changes. Year in, year out New Pantomime Productions puts on a perfectly adequate family show that contains nothing to offend anyone and nothing to get excited about. Where’s the imagination, the invention and the decent script to make this a magical instead of run-of-the-mill. The cast is better, ie starrier, than usual but I longed for them to be given some decent material or, in the case of a couple of them, more to do.

Veteran performer Anita Harris is top billed as wicked stepmother Baroness Hardup, every entrance announced by a clap of thunder and lightning and she does her best (worst?) to be horrible to Lauren Hood’s rather shrill Cinderella, who gets this year’s panto must-have, that song from Frozen, as her big number.

I’d have welcomed more of Caroline Barnes’ kooky Fairy Godmother who brings a freshness (and a good voice) to the proceedings lacking elsewhere. Fellow Scooch member Russ Spencer makes a lively Dandini alongside the dashing Prince Charming of panto returnee Rob McVeigh.

Stuart Wade’s Buttons wins over the kids by recruiting them into his gang, Tom Owen reminds us several times that he was in Last OF The Summer Wine but Uglies Buttercup and Daisy (Paul Deakin and Tony Blaney) are given little to do.

A word of praise for choreographer Emily Taylor and her young dancers who provide some of the more memorable moments in the show.

Until Jan 4. Box office 0844-8713024 and online atgtickets.com/York