For many children, pantomime is their first experience of theatre and if you’re looking for an entertaining show to take your children to this winter, you need look no further than Cinderella at the Radlett Centre. The performances throughout are excellent, the pacing perfect (hugely important in a show aimed at children so well done director Victoria Ward) and I’d be surprised if anyone left the centre without a smile on their face, whatever age they were.

Beccy Lane was, apparently, making her professional debut as the panto’s eponymous heroine but you’d never know. Her confident performance was flawless. Thomas Widdop’s Buttons held the show together brilliantly and the show’s real stars, ugly sisters Dandelion and Thistle (Gavin Ashbarry and Marc Kelly) couldn’t have been better. Even the accidental loss of a wig in the second half, which led to some seemingly genuine adlibs and corpsing, had everyone roaring in their seats. Do it every night, chaps. It made my nine-year-old son and I cry with laughter.

Prince Charming (Richard Carson) and Dandini (Michael Woolston-Thomas) were similarly impressive, as was the Fairy Godmother (Colleen Daley). And the Babes and Dancers didn’t put a foot wrong despite their tender years. Everyone involved deserves a huge round of applause – which is, fortunately, what they got. The sets and costumes were great too.

The script, though a little hit and miss, worked more often than it didn’t. I didn’t feel it opened well, but once it got into its stride, kept everyone amused. It didn’t stray far from the story we all know and love, but why should it? Ugly sisters, glass slippers, Prince Charming. That’s what we wanted and that’s what we got.

We also got some pleasingly gruesome puns and just the right amount of music. I often find in pantos there’s an overuse of music – often to stretch the thing out – which is very irritating. Not so here.

The music comes in excerpts rather than full songs, so rarely if ever did I feel myself wishing they’d just get on with it. And at times, they sparkled. The old favourite If I Were Not Upon the Stage was superbly executed and hugely entertaining.

I understand the same company, Upstage Productions, is returning next year with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Can we book our tickets now?