Hard to imagine a better panto in region

TAKE a popular Leicester singer who won the X Factor, add a former soap star, a CBeebies presenter, a dame and a comedian, three water guns, some popular songs, several Brexit jokes and Baby Shark references and you have the recipe for a family festive cracker.

And this is exactly what the De Montfort Hall have in the form of their panto offering Peter Pan.

This is a superb family show which is more of a variety performance with a bit of a story thrown in.

All the performers are perfect in their roles with former Corrie star Kevin Kennedy providing the perfect hammed-up panto villain in Captain Hook.

And Sam Bailey proves to be more than just a singer with a very good turn as part of the trio of comedy actors proving many of the laughs.

Her fellow laugh providers are Leicester radio presenter Martin Ballard who proves to be an excellent dame with a very silly range of costumes to boot.

But perhaps the star performer is Kev Orkian who steals the show with his performance and ability to raise a laugh.

Apparently, he did very well a few years ago in Britain’s Got Talent and is an experienced performer which showed during the show.

Perhaps the highlight of the evening is the slightly random 12 Days of Christmas routine performed by the three.

It has nothing to do with the story of Peter Pan but who cares.

The routine is very silly and had the audience, both young and old, in stitches and joining in at the same time.

It also got most of the audience covered in water from the guns... Watch out for Sam Bai- ley who seems particularly enamoured with getting people wet. Make sure you give her a warm welcome as she may go easy on you with her very big gun.

The story of Peter Pan is a nice one for Christmas. Just like a panto, it does work on different levels for different ages.

It is not just a tale about children going on an adventure and fighting a pirate, it is also about youngsters not having parents and perhaps struggling to fit in the adult world as they grow up.

But, fear not, the philosophy is not very deep here as the action, music and jokes come thick and fast.

This is a very good family show and it is hard to image a better one being performed in the Midlands.

The show is on until Sunday January 6 at the Leicester venue.