I CAN'T remember the last time I enjoyed a family show as much as this -- but as with all pantomimes it was the kiddies in the audience which really made the evening.

From the child which bawled the instant baddie Abanazer (Shaun Curry) strode on stage (complete with fab panto-green lights and wonderful booming voice), to the four who gamely trod the boards to help the infectiously enthusiastic Wishee Washee (Steve Walls), there was hardly a dull moment.

Pantos are the only shows in which you can shoe-horn chart records alongside preposterously unlikely and totally irrelevant scenes and get away with it. The cast of Aladdin have got this off to a tee.

Anna Williamson played an assured and instantly likeable lead boy. Ken Morley was an inspired choice as Widow Twanky and Karen Roberts was a suitably gently spoken Princess Harvest Moon.

Only Des Coleman seemed uncomfortable as a singing Slave of the Ring. I wasn't sure if his funky talk was a brave stab at youth culture that wasn't quite working but we enjoyed his "rub the ring" rap!

Thursday's show was a delicious mix of twinkling, colourful costumes, OTT acting and break-neck silliness -- an ideal family escape from hectic Christmas preparations.

Review by Nikki Masters