Cinderella at Scarborough Spa - the panto is a song, dance, slapstick, comedy, magical marvel

Charlotte Buxton, Anne Hegerty and members of TLC in Cinderella at the star

Quiz expert Anne Hegerty sprinkles fistfulls of stardust over the pantomime Cinderella at Scarborough Spa this year.

From the moment the star of ITV quiz show The Chase stepped on to the stage, waving her wand as the Fairy Godmother, Hegerty was cheered and clapped.

The audience sang along with her as she belted out in fine voice These Boots Are Meant for Walking – which had nothing to do with the script but as Hegerty said: “It’s random but this is panto.”

Thanks to Hegerty and the rest of a quality cast, including Scarborough-grown talent Charlotte Buxton as Cinderella and Katie Buttner as Dandini, it is pantomime at its best and most traditional.

Christopher Pym as Prince Charming with Katie Buttner as Dandini

Pantomime is not an intellectual challenge. It is about good and evil, boo, hiss and cheers and clapping – a great two hours of unadulterated, cheeky, mischevious, immersive entertainment.

Arguably, the most popular of pantomimes, Cinderella is loosely based on the fairy tale about a poor, put-upon young woman who goes to the ball and meets her prince.

The Tony Peers production is a song, dance, slapstick, comedy, magical marvel which includes the Olly Murs pop song Dance with Me Tonight, ballads including Once Upon a Time, the raucous Ballroom and Blitz and – no panto this year will be complete with it – a Taylor Swift number. In this production, it is Shake it Off.

There are custard pies, water guns, people falling off walls and the well-known ghost routine. The panto is beautifully dressed in bright, sparkling costumes with jaw-dropping backdrops and dazzling light shows.

Buttons is played bt Daniel Dean, Baron Hardup is played by Nick Fawcett and Scarborough's Charlotte Buxton is Cinderella

Returning to Scarborough to play the fool is Daniel Dean. This year he is Buttons and is also given a chance to show off his skills as a magician. He is the engine that drives the action and keeps the audience engaged. He does it brilliantly.

Buxton as Cinders and Buttner as Dandini are a delight – Scarborough audiences have watched the blossom from chorus to centre stage.

Christopher Pym adds charm as the prince and Nick Fawcett is everyone’s foil as Baron Hardup.

Stealing the show, for me, are Philip Meeks and Matt McInnes as the Ugly Sisters – cleverly called Coleen (as in Rooney) and Rebekah (as in Vardy). I love the character of the dame – and here you get two for the price of one.

They are nasty, overdressed blowsy villains – straight from music hall – who taunt the audience to screaming point.

Youngsters from Scarborough-based TLC are excellent, filling the stage with dazzling dance routines.

Cinderella is on at Scarborough Spa from now until New Year’s Day. Tickets on01723 376774 and online at https://www.scarboroughspa.co.uk