If you’re going to write an original pantomime, what better role to cast yourself in than as a pirate!

Adrian Barrett did just that and will have been pleased with the first-night performance of this lively company.

The dame always dominates proceedings and, in Michael Porter, we had one who milked every drop from the cross-dressing role, with impeccable comic-timing, a singing voice of real quality and numerous, increasingly-flamboyant, costume changes.

Edward Corbett was as much Lord Flash-heart as Flash Gordon, strutting his leather-clad stuff with style, Daniel Knight was impressively confident as Emperor of the Mingers on Planet Mong and Steve Evemy maintained his accent flawlessly as Professor Hans Zupp.

Jill Tuffin (Dale), Chris Knight and Tim Searle (Hal and Dave) were all funny and Jayne Stephens provided more glamour as Princess Aura.

Director Charlotte Forster even surprised us with an excellent Elvis tribute act from drummer Scott Armstrong.

Alan Johns