PANTO has returned to Bromsgrove – it was a different venue and logistics for the director, cast and crew but the same high quality show audiences have enjoyed from All and Sundry for years. This had everything you want from a good panto – the good vs bad, plenty of one-liners and corny jokes and loads of opportunities for audience participation. It began with a nod to the venue change and dame Corona McVitie, excellently played by David Mann, making a string of gags about Bromsgrove School which set the tone for the rest of the evening. Mann delivered another masterclass, having played the dame for years. Having seen a multitude of pantos all over the Midlands, he is one of the most risque around which ensures the adults enjoy the show as much as the children. Amy Wicks was wonderful as Wendy Darling, including a great solo, and Rachel Andress as Tinkerbell and Alex Johnson as Peter Pan also put in fantastic performances. But the star of the show was undoubtedly Dave Berrisford as Hook. I did not think it possible to be able to play camp and ferocious in the same role but he pulled it off, leaving the audience with a Marmite dilemma – you know you should be hating him but you could not help love the character he portrayed. The performance was perfect – from the vocals on his solo songs to the personal interaction with the audience which again is among the best I have seen. His rapport with Smee was also top notch. Credit to the fantastic Emma Hay – she has a wonderful way of playing those ‘over the top’ roles which mean the laughs just keep flowing. The highlight of the evening for me was Mann and Berrisford’s flirty festive duet rendition of ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ which saw them journey out into the audience. The crocodile was also suitably comical, the UV puppets made a welcome return and in what I believe to be an All and Sundry first and one which would not have been possible at Artrix – the magical Peter Pan and Wendy flying scene using lines and dry ice to bring that extra sparkle. As we’ve come to know and love with Bromsgrove pantos, the Stage Door Dance Academy did another terrific job with the choreography and, although the transition to a completely different set-up would have come with its fair share of stress, director Alison Berrisford should be very proud of the production and every member of her cast and crew.