Lamped

Oh yes they did! Once again the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, has put together a rather stunning pantomime. Allan Stewart, Andy Gray and Grant Stott continue their brilliant partnership as Dame, Daft Lad and Demon King with their latest take on Aladdin, studding the traditional story with topical gags, old groaners and ad libs aplenty.

I'm old enough to remember when the Principal Boy was always a girl, here it's the likeable Greg Barrowman (yes, nephew) as the laundress' lad who finds a magical lamp. The rub is that evil Abanazar wants it too, along with Aladdin's intended, Princess Jasmine (the sweet-voiced Miriam Elwell-Sutton). The dance ensemble is scarily flexible, band excellent, special effects breathtaking and hilarious encore song a chance for emperor James Paterson to show he can do far more than strut around imperiously. What's more, there's a Wicked bit of business at the end of the first act that has to be seen to be believed - don't miss this Christmas cracker