Birmingham Hippodrome’s pantomime production of Dick Whittington is a real Christmas cracker of a show, with Marti Pellow, Matt Slack, Dr Ranj, Suzanne Shaw, Doreen Tipton and Andrew Ryan all taking leading roles.

Crossroads Pantomimes certainly know how to produce a fantastic evening (or afternoon, for that matter) of family entertainment. Colourful, sparkling costumes and sets, exciting pyrotechnics and fantastic lighting, side-splitting jokes and visual gags, singalong songs and an incredible flying double decker bus all come together to create a show that’s packed to its festive rafters with seasonal mayhem.

This being pantomime, the rags-to-riches plot inevitably takes a back seat. Birmingham’s favourite panto comic, Matt Slack, plays Dick Whittington. This is his record-breaking ninth consecutive year at the Hippodrome. True to his reputation, Matt provides the audience with plenty of raucous laugh-out-loud moments, his legendary comic timing, rude innuendos and slapstick humour all very much in evidence.

His trusty cat is purrfectly played by Black Country comic and regional treasure Doreen Tipton.

Andrew Ryan clocks up his sixth year alongside Matt in the Hippodrome panto and is hilarious as the Dame, Felicity Fitzwarren, who not only owns a sweet-making company but also an outlandish, extravagant, slightly cheeky and splendidly risqué wardrobe! One-time Hear’say singer Suzanne Shaw plays the Dame’s daughter and Dick’s potential love interest, Alice.

Making his Birmingham panto debut, TV presenter Dr Ranj is the Spirit of the Bells. His rendition of When We Were Shipwrecked - a reworking of The 12 Days Of Christmas - alongside Matt, Doreen and Andrew is one of the show’s many highlights.

Being booed as the panto baddie is Wet Wet Wet star Marti Pellow, who plays King Rat. Marti and his songwriting partner & musical director, Grant Mitchell, wrote several songs for the show. Although convincingly unpleasant as King Rat, Marti owns the stage whenever he performs and was a firm favourite with last night’s audience.

Featuring the obligatory audience participation - not to mention the equally obligatory toilet humour! - Dick Whittington is a real gem of a show, a high-jinx riot of fun, and an absolute must-see extravaganza if you fancy a fantastic and fun-filled trip to the theatre over the festive season.

Five stars

Reviewed by Sue Hull at Birmingham Hippodrome on Tuesday 20 December. Dick Whittington continues to show at the venue until Sunday 29 January.