Pantomime season is upon us and theatregoers in Hillingdon this year have a cracking choice of local shows to choose from. Reporter JAMES CRACKNELL previews them... oh yes he does!

PANTO fans are in for a treat this year as a host of famous faces star in pantos including Dick Whittington, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

At the Beck Theatre in Hayes, there are not one but two pantos to enjoy, with Aladdin starring theatre favourite Mark Jones preceded by a special one-off production to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society (see Five of the Best, page 42).

Before the Aladdin run between December 17 and January 8, producer Daryl Back said: “I think that this is the best cast we have had and the set is amazing.

“The script by Simon Aylin is brilliantly funny and there are some outstanding musical numbers that will have all of you dancing in your seats. I can’t wait for all of you to see it!”

Another big panto highlight this year will be Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist and Hillingdon’s own Josh Barry appearing at the Compass Theatre in Ickenham for two weeks over Christmas, when he plays Richard Whittington, the boy who sought fame and fortune on the streets of London.

Josh said: “For me, pantomimes were tradition at Christmas. That was until I got a bit older and thought they weren’t ‘cool’ anymore. But secretly I still really liked them.

“I think a good pantomime can’t be too exaggerated or cheesy. The story has to be told not just through dialogue but also through character relationships.

“There needs to be certain chemistry within the cast, otherwise it just becomes an audience shouting: ‘He’s behind you!’ at a group of actors.”

Dick Whittington and his Cat has been produced by the same team behind last year’s Snow White, and they have promised ‘top class singing and dancing, groan-worthy jokes, a pretty girl and lots of audience participation’ in the show that runs from December 14-19.

Fans of Cinderella, meanwhile, are in for a treat. At Watersmeet in Rickmansworth, former G4 tenor Jonathan Ansell plays Prince Charming.

The X Factor veteran has had a varied TV and stage career since leaving the pop-opera group, and is gaining a reputation for theatre after roles as the prince in Beauty and the Beast, and Boemer in Lark Rise to Candleford. Cinderella runs from December 7 -31 at the Hertfordshire theatre.

Richmond is also putting on the rags-to-riches fairy tale next month, with Loose Women star and stand-up comic Jenny Eclair set to bring much laughter to the role of Fairy Godmother, while former EastEnders actress Kellie Shirley is in the lead role. Before the marathon panto run between December 9 and January 15, I’m A Celebrity’s third-placed contestant in 2010, Jenny Eclair, said: “I’ll only be doing jokes that are panto suitable. Cinderella is one of the nicest pantos and it is a real favourite with audiences.”

But the most star-studded of all the local pantos this year is surely Theatre Royal Windsor’s Sleeping Beauty, showing from December 7 to January 8. Is This The Way To Amarillo? singer Tony Christie is well-cast in his role as The King, alongside film legend Britt Ekland as The Wicked Fairy, Dancing On Ice star Chloe Madeley as Beauty and Christopher Biggins voicing The Dragon. There is even a special guest appearance by children’s character Noddy.

Last on the list, but first out of the blocks at Watford Palace Theatre is a new version of Jack and the Beanstalk, written by panto veteran Andrew Pollard and starting on Friday.

The team behind it, many of who were involved with Aladdin last year, are promising ‘stunning sets and costumes, first-rate musicians and actors, witty storytelling and the lavish spectacle you have come to expect from us’.

Jack and the Beanstalk runs until December 31.