MICHAEL MOFFATT SHOW OF THE WEEK

Rapunzel Gaiety Until January 21

At one stage when the lovely Rapunzel, locked in the tower, was having a hard time from her evil stepmother, a precocious small voice somewhere behind me chirped: ‘That’s abuse.’ That response is exactly what panto is about – getting the young audience excited, spellbound or outraged, cheering beauty and booing villainy.

A couple of them were brought into the act to call Rapunzel (Ciara Lyons) out of her lonely tower, one of them having to do a tricky tongue-twister, while a few others got sprayed by the evil stepmother’s water gun.

And for a change, the stepmother (Kathryn Rutherford) was applauded for two of her songs instead of being booed all the time.

This production continues the exceptional standard set by the Gaiety, with presentation skills of the highest order, stage design that combines traditional sets with high-tech effects and spectacular singing and dancing routines involving all the lead performers. Even the simplest set pieces were choreographed precisely.

All the other panto staples are there: moronic slapstick comedy brothers Double and Trouble with Kim Jong-Un hairstyles, a sexy dame (Joe Conlan), occasional near-theknuckle jokes. Oh, and the longest farting routine I’ve ever heard...