Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Bradford Alhambra

THE SPIRIT of the Chuckle Brothers lives on at the Alhambra as resident panto comic Billy Pearce welcomes Paul Chuckle – whose brother Barry died in 2018 – back to the stage.

And not just chuckles – there are belly laughs galore as the pair, either alone or together, deliver a non-stop succession of clever, original and downright hilarious comedy routines.

Laughter is the overriding quality of this year's show, though all the other ingredients are there in spades – romance, adventure, lively song and dance, colourful costumes and scenery, and,.

The musical numbers mix tuneful originals and well-known pop songs, including a crowd-pleasing post-walkdown medley of Steps hits delivered by Faye Tozer.

Faye is terrific as the wicked stepmother, vamping it up with glee as she strikes the right balance of nastiness and likeability, with plenty of nods to both her Strictly and Steps past.

The Sunbeams, the children's chorus from the Cullingworth-based Sara Packham Theatre School, are as charming as ever but don't get used much in the show.

Neither are the seven dwarfs as prominent as in some versions of Snow White - they're always likeable, what we only see them when they have an essential part to play in the plot.

As we expect from the Alhambra panto there are jaw-dropping moments with fantastic special effects – a terrific Magic Mirror, a high-flying Act One, and a spectacularly scary but pointless monster appearance.

Ultimately this is a great panto, fun for all ages – clear from the groups of adults in the audience who didn't feel the need to take along a child in order to enjoy themselves thoroughly

*Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, until January 26. Visit bradford-theatres.co.uk or call 01274 to book tickets.

David Knights