UNTIL JANUARY 25, BATH: AS a young reporter in East London, I once had the unenviable task of reviewing seven pantomimes in the space of two weeks.

Traumatised as I was by the whole experience, I vowed there and then, never to go to another panto.

But last Friday evening, I broke that promise and took my two nieces to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal Bath and I'm glad that I did.

It was the first-ever panto for Olivia, six, and Georgia, three, but they were stunned into silence from the moment we walked into the theatre.

The Theatre Royal is a small, intimate and beautifully old-fashioned venue and renowned for providing top-class panto.

This year's offering stars Sherrie Hewson of Coronation Street and Crossroads fame as the Fairy, along with Chris Harris as Dame Trott, James McCourt as Simple Simon and Graham Seed as The King.

The curtain lifted on dancers from the Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance and Olivia and Georgia and about 300 other children were captivated.

Jack and the Beanstalk is a great story and the stage and its scenery could not be faulted.

The music is also wonderful, with a great mix of traditional song and dance, plus some catchy renditions of more current tunes, such as Elton John's recent song Are You Ready for Love? which became Are You Ready for Fun?

While the children loved Daisy the Cow's exploits (she danced and apparently produced pints of semi-skimmed and even a box of 'Milk' Tray), the adults, including me, enjoyed many laughs courtesy of Dame Trott (Chris Harris).

A native of Bristol (He's a Twert from Twerton), Harris is a cross between Les Dawson and Benny Hill and has a fantastic mix of saucy jokes and some great local one-liners.

Walking into the Giant's dungeon, he exclaimed: "So this is what Cribb's Causeway looks like!"

While Jack (Kate Weston), also made the adults chuckle when she slew the Giant and announced "We got him!"

Sherrie Hewson was a suitably dizzy fairy although her rhyming lines tied her up in a couple of knots and Jack Trott became Jock Tratt on one occasion.

And there was heaps of audience participation, with more than the fair share of "He's behind you" and "Oh no he isn't", to satisfy even the most die-hard Panto fans.

Jack and the Beanstalk is at the Theatre Royal from December 18 to January 25, 2004.

Tickets are on sale at the Theatre Royal Box Office on (01225) 448844. Prices start at £5 for standby seats.

Debbie Waite

Jack and the Beanstalk

Theatre Royal, Bath