What’s this? Panto in Wolverhampton at  the end of February?  Oh yes it is.

Having stormed the normal panto  season first in Brighton, then  the Duke of York’s Theatre in London, the audience response was too positive for  it to wither with the Christmas decorations, thus  it has continued on a short victory parade around the country taking in Wolverhampton this week with further dates thereafter.

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Mother Goose is a Christmas stalwart as a story, and is often performed. What sets this production apart is the cast, specifically  Sir Ian McKellen of Lord of the Rings fame as  Mother Goose.  

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The all important script is by Scouse novelist, playwright and satirist Jonathan Harvey who just happens to have  fellow  Liverpudlian John  Bishop as his comic hitman on stage. The recent political farce in government is a gift for satire, and Harvey dos not miss a trick in singling out the obvious targets, Boris Johnson, Suella Braverman, Camilla Parker Bowles and the energy companies amongst them. He has been a regular on the Coronation St scriptwriting team since 2004, his populist credentials and touch are a given.

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This is a traditional show, affectionately delivered by  Director Cal McCrystal, narrative driven with no over reliance on special effects, still music hall rather than 3D cinema . However that does not preclude copious Tolkien references and a rather wonderful foray into a Shakespeare soliloquy. There is plenty of razzle and dazzle courtesy of  Lizzi Gee’s lively choreography, Prema Mehta’s colourful  pink and green lighting , and Ben Harrison’s sound with Lady Gaga’s “ Born this way”  a showstopper, closely followed by Anna-Jane Casey’s “Cilla” powerhouse : ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’

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Although inevitably MCkellen and Bishop rightly dominate proceedings, the supporting company is strong and effective. Son Jack  ( Oscor Conlon- Morely)is exhaustingly frenetic, villainess  Malignia gloriously enjoyed by Karen Mavundukure, is suitably malign at every opportunity thankfully thwarted at every turn by good witch   soprano  Encanta ( Sharon Ballard), Anna Jane Casey is the goose that lays the golden egg, all of whom sing remarkably well.

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The denouement is messy, Bishop is  very funny, Mckellan is a vision in a frou frou nightdress and delivers his apercus with consummate style.

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The ensemble menagerie of  all singing, all dancing puppeteer  animals are terrific initially shivering in a closed  Debenhams store , Liz Ashcroft’s street set is stunning. The animals are very much part of the fun.  A  donkey that self  identifies as a llama,  Richard Leeming  flickers wonderfully  as  a bat, Genevieve Nicole as Puss wonders if she is in the right panto,  other animals are available!

This  wonderful comic  production runs at Wolverhampton until 25^th February then continues on nationwide our at Liverpool, Oxford, Leicester, Cardiff, Dublin, Salford and Bristol.