If you want a snapshot of history, an idea of what every person on the street was talking about in any given year, then looking through old panto scripts would be a good place to start.

The audience at this year’s Darlington Hippodrome pantomime might still have been slightly raw from England’s defeat by France on Sunday night. But they still appreciated the last-minute insertion of a gag about Harry Kane trying to recreate Jonny Wilkinson’s rugby penalty.

This year the butt of many jokes was Matt Hancock MP, fresh from his spell in the jungle and his subsequent resignation.

And another former jungle dweller is the headline act in this year’s Peter Pan production.

Christopher Biggins - who tread the boards in his first ever pantomime 46 years ago in Mother Goose in Darlington - makes a return to the town this year as Mrs Smee, the pantomime dame.

At the age of 73, he is understandably slowing down a little but provided plenty of laughs alongside Rikki Jay as Smee.

There are all the essential panto ingredients which Darlington’s Hippodrome always pulls off so well, as well as a comedy acrobatic routine, some breathtaking special effects and - being Peter Pan - some exceptional flying scenes.

The action’s set after the JM Barrie story, with Wendy returning to Neverland to help Peter restore magic to the land.

Steve Arnott (not the Line of Duty character,) is spectacularly dastardly as Captain Hook and the pirate scenes were visually ravishing, with the large flag waving reminiscent of the barricade scenes from Les Miserables.

Sheri Lineham and Tegan Bannister as Wendy and Tinkerbell provide the musical theatre as they belt out a few rousing numbers alongside James Hameed as Peter Pan.

All the cast are slick and polished.

But most of the laughs, best scenery and entertainment do come in the second half, so bear with it and you’ll have a highly entertaining evening.

The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan is on at Darlington hippodrome until Saturday December 31. Visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or call the box office on 01325 405405 for tickets.

Graeme Hetherington