It's Panto time (oh yes it is)!

I bravely took 40 of our children and young people to the pantomime- Dick Whittington this year- at the Regent Theatre in Hanley last night (not single-handedly I hasten to add, I did have a little help from my staff). Robbie William's best mate Jonathon Wilkes was starring again for the fifth year running (he is obviously inundated with offers of work) alongside a cast of other not-quite-made-its. I didn't realise till after the show that Robbie's dad was actually one of the main characters- he needn't give up the day job. The only really well-known cast member was Three Degrees singer, Sheila Ferguson, who belted out a few numbers as Fairy Oatcakes!Pantomime isn't something I would normally choose to see if going to the theatre, but I must admit I do love taking all our children, they get so much from it. We got loo rolls thrown at us and got drenched with water guns (why do I always book the front row seats?) and laughed lots. There was plenty of slapstick and a lot of double entendre (didn't help that the main character is called Dick).
We didn't lose any children (never have yet!), we didn't gain any, noone required rugby tackling after making a break for the stage (that was last year), and I didn't have to clamber over the cubicle wall of a toilet to get someone out (the year before). I make that a success.