IF you want a job done well, you’d better do it yourself… this seems to be Ian Good’s philosophy in this Christmas cracker of a show.

For Good not only directs but also takes the starring role of Widow Twankey firmly by the whalebone corsets and makes sure his character is the star attraction.

Which is all very strange, for Robert Powell as Abanazar is supposed to be the main man. Trouble is that his villain is about as menacing as a badly-flung custard pie - so much so, that at times we almost forgot to heckle him.

Indeed, there were times that had it not been for parental prompting, even the kids would have allowed him to escape without a hiss or a boo.

Worse still, it felt as if Powell had ignored the fact that panto really doesn’t require a stately Shakespearian delivery. Please, please… we want hammy grimaces, snarls and lots of hand actions!

Thank heavens for Twankey then. Yes, there ain’t nothin’ like this dame and the laughs come thick and fast whenever ‘she’ makes an entrance, a veritable vision in rouge and rollicking bad taste.

Elsewhere, the youthful energy of Aladdin (Chris Edgerley) and Wishee Washee (Derek Moran) pushes this show along at breakneck pace with Princess Jasmine (Rebecca Marks) being suitably demure and comely.

Yes, lots of fun to be sure. But if I could have rubbed that lamp, I know what I would have wished for… Aladdin runs until January 4.

John Phillpott