YOU know it’s nearly Christmas when you find yourself shouting “oh no you didn’t” at a crossdressing nurse and a court jester.

The well-loved tale of Snow White escaping the clutches of her wicked stepmother with the help of (in this instance) Pop, Sneezer, Smiler, Grouchy, Kip, Twitcher and Soppy is once again given its festive transformation.

It’s got everything you would expect from a top-class pantomime all packed in to bursting point.

“He’s behind you”, Gangnam-style dancing, audience participation, flashes, bangs and hisses – it’s all there and all incredibly good fun. Court jester Muddles (Noel Brodie) is an audience favourite, whipping the younger members into an excitable frenzy, while slipping in the odd remark to give parents something to smirk about as well.

But panto wouldn’t be panto without a buxom dame and Ian Good as Nurse Dotty is a more than an ample fit.

Tottering on to the stage in increasingly ridiculous costumes she is, as you would hope, a rampant flirt and hilariously funny.

Lucy Benjamin of EastEnders fame is the sneering, cackling Wicked Queen who gets her fair share of boos and hisses as she plots and schemes to get Snow White.

The excitement is palpable by the time the finale comes around. Flashing wands almost take off from frenetic waving as parents struggle to keep children seated when all they want to do is jump around to the music.

Even the grouchiest of Ebeneezer Scrooges won’t be able to resist standing up and joining in by the end of this pantomime – grumpy dads included.