It’s not your quintessential pantomime when the heroine sleeps for the vast majority of the second act, and the villain casts a slumber curse on all around her. Never fear, though — because at Woking Panto, there was no chance of anyone falling asleep (other than Princess Aurora, of course, played by Rhiane Drummond). The only thing that befell this audience was a smash hit of an evening, down at the New Victoria Theatre: stunning costumes, wild set pieces, and a floating Christopher Biggins — who could ask for anything more!

As “The Spirit of Dreams”, Biggins might be the star draw on the poster — he is, after all, the Queen of Panto. But it’s Richard Cadell as “Muddles”, along with Sooty and Sweep, who steal the show. Cadell is on for 80% of the show — no doubt because of his exceptional talent for comedy and magic. If he isn’t taking an audience member apart with a routine, or squirting them with a water pistol, then he’s jumping out of a box he had no business being in. He’s a delight! And Sooty and Sweep make nostalgic appearances (with the mums and dads enjoying them rather more than the children).

Probably the most impressive elements are the ones you wouldn’t expect in Sleeping Beauty… Act I ends with two of the characters flying a helicopter over the heads of the stalls-dwellers, while Act II opens with Faye Tozer from Steps (as the evil Carabosse), revealing a dragon the size of a small house, which also protrudes into the audience, and breathes fire up into the gods. For the children, it’s enchantment after enchantment; and, for the adults, it’s darn good value for money.

Pantomime has a special place in the hearts of us all in the UK — even if it perplexes pretty much every other nation on the planet. Woking have dealt their community a hefty blow of talent, along with audience participation, plenty of laughs and bags of heart.

Playing at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, 6 Dec 2024 – 5 Jan 2025.