There’s nothing like a good trouser gag to get the audience going.

Whether Peter Whitaker’s clothing malfunction, as the Sheriff of Nottingham’s street-talking minion Scarper, was intended is another matter but its effect on both cast and panto-goer was comedy gold.

Scarper, alongside his fellow dogsbody Nicket (Daniel Murrell) were at times tricky to understand, with their quickfire babble, but their pratfalls and gloriously clichéd gags assured them the prize of audience favourite.

Not that Much (a nicely boisterous Chris Moore) didn’t do his damnedest to earn that accolade but bad boys just have so much more about them.

Speaking of villainy, Mike Young’s performance as the Sheriff was worthy of a big city pantomime. Young channelled more than a little Rik Mayall (and the likeness wasn’t dissimilar either) for his Sheriff of Nottingham and was fully decorated in boos for his efforts.

Paul Barrington put on his best tights as Nanny Nora, the gruff-voiced, roller-skating (ish) babysitter for Maid Marian (Evie Shiner, resembling a medieval Emirates stewardess) and squeezed every last Dame ounce out of his role.

Yes there were line fluffs but a panto such as this is a disappointment without the idiosyncrasies that join both cast and audience together in hilarity.

Particularly if there are trousers to be lost.

Lyndon Hogg