Panto season – Sleeping Beauty @ Theatre Royal Windsor

We had a fantastic night tonight at Windsor's famous traditional panto. Sleeping Beauty is my seven-year-old's favourite story. Like ever. So I wondered what she'd make of it. Would she love it – or hate the twist on her most-loved tale? Fortunately, she loved every second of it. As did we all.

The story is introduced by Denise Pearson – solo artist and lead singer of iconic pop group Five Star – as Fairy Fancy. She sprinkles her magic across the stage and wows the audience with her incredible voice... The scene is set. The evil Carabosse (Jenny Ryan) curses the baby Beauty – on her 18th birthday, she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die... Fairy Fancy, however, manages to cast another spell, meaning Beauty will not die, she will just sleep for 100 years.

The real action begins on Beauty's 18th birthday, when her father, King Clifford (broadcasting legend, BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read), is throwing her a party, with the help of Basil 'The Lord Chamberlain' Brush, Chester the Jester (Kevin Cruise) and Nurse Paloma Pinchme (Steven Blakeley).

This was the first time my daughters had ever seen or heard of Basil Brush, best known for his appearances on daytime British children's television in the '60s–'80s... He fast became a favourite in the show. They LOVED him – and his "Boom Boom" catchphrase. I fear we haven't heard the end of that one in our house…

For us adults, comic clutz Kevin Cruise (Britain's Got Talent finalist) and resident Dame and panto writer Steven Blakeley (PC Geoff Younger in Heartbeat) stole the show. The chemistry between the pair on stage, and the relationship they build with the audience, as well as their obvious love for what they're doing, is just brilliant. And their reenaction of the 12 Days of Christmas is a sight to behold. It was so good the audience wanted a re-run. The water guns, sweet throwing and audience participation all adds to the spectacle.

The villainous vixen Carabosse secretly arrives at Beauty's party and manages to get her to prick her finger on the spinning wheel, so she falls into a deep sleep – but not before the princess meets Prince Eric and falls in love.

At first, I didn't think Jenny Ryan's (Bolton Brainiac and ITV’s sassiest Chaser) Carabosse lived up to the super-scary ‘Flesh Creep’ in last year's Windsor panto, played by Dancing on Ice judge Jason Gardiner, but when she caught the prince and began her fantastic rendition of Dear Future Husband, I was won over.

After seeing the dragon statue on the roof as we'd walked up the street to the theatre earlier on in the evening, the girls were waiting to see if he would appear – and how. They weren't disappointed. An enormous fire-breathing dragon emerges on stage, voiced by Tom Baker (Doctor Who).

You know how the story goes, the prince (actor Alex Jordan-Mills) wins the day and ends up kissing Sleeping Beauty (actress Megan Jones), who wakes, and they live happily ever after. But before that we enjoy a few romantic solos and duets – we especially liked Alex Jordan-Mills' version of Ed Sheeran's Castle on the Hill), a lively audience-out-of-their-seats YMCA, I will never forget Cruise dressed as Elsa and singing Let It Go – oh, how I laughed – and the Ghostbusters scene.

What a magical evening – so much fun for all the family and a great start to Christmas.

If you haven't booked your tickets yet, don't delay. It's on until 7th January.

http://www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/