Sleeping Beauty: Empire Theatre, Consett

ANOTHER year, another cracking panto from Leah Bell and her excellent troupe.

While recognisable as Sleeping Beauty, with the princess and prince, three fairies and the evil Maleficent, this adventure has a delightful twist by including the great grandson of The Grrrinch (Jason Jones) and Captain Jack (Soner Dogan), a breakdancer.

The first half ends with a sea scene during which they are trying to escape to a place whose name is unmentionable...[Stanley!]

With the princess pricking her finger and the spell only being lifted when she is kissed by a prince offering true love, the deviating storyline still has a solid, familiar narrative that the audience laps up.

The proof is in the pudding: one of the groups there was the whole of High Spen school, from reception to year 6.

En route to "the kiss" the kids were involved in water fights, snow storms, footstomping, shrieks of laughter, singing and dancing. They sang along and swayed to chart songs that included Sax, Can't Stop The Feeling, Footloose, Hair, Love Yourself and cheered at the "kiss song" Story of My Life. At one stage, with the teachers and kids dancing in the aisles, I thought this must be on the National Curriculum. It was a joy being there.

Jason Jones is exceptional as the thieving Grrrinch while Lorraine Crosby's evil Maleficent is worthy of any pantomime stage, anywhere.

A supporting cast of six young dancers and a top-notch troupe of Dale Jewitt (Prince Harry of Styles), Harriet Povey (Fairy Blush), Erin Laverisck (Fairy Lush), Mel Hodgetts (Fairy Mint), Glen Richard Townsend (Rusty Bucket), Laura Scott (Sleeping Beauty), Anna Bartle (Lady Annie) and Andrew Dawson as the town clerk meant the finale involved 18 people.

The 18th was Leah Bell as Nurse Nit Wit. Not only the writer and director, Bell is the mighty atom around which the energy is generated both on and off stage. She's a true star and a testament to her abilities is that she has created another record-breaking box-office production.

The excellent set and costumes added to making this the best of the five pantos Bell has produced at Consett.

* Runs until Saturday, December 31.