A CHRISTMAS PANTOMINE BY KIDS PRAISE THEATRE WORKSHOP.

Of all the shows to come out of the Kids praise stable, this one had the greatest chance to go wrong. Think, it's a mad, mad, mad, mad, world meets fantasia, throw in Shrek and all his assorted pals and you have the latest offering from Michelle and Phil Lee. Trying to meld the myriad parts played with the Lee's usual Christian message was always going to be fraught with danger, but once again A Christmas Pantomime with a truly tremendous cast of enthusiastic children pull it off-with honours!! It's eighteen years since Kids Praise was formed and it's astonishing that they've managed to put on one show, never mind eighteen! With little more than Blue Peter sticky tape and old disused egg boxes so to speak, no sponsorship or lottery funding, they consistently amaze with their creativity.

The costumes this year for instance, was simply mind blowing!! Utterly irreverent at times, this years plot has the argument of which is the greatest story ever told. From Snow white to Peter Pan, all the characters put forward their own points of view for the title against the Nativity story. A consistently hilarious parody of the pantomime genre, Kids Praise expertly blends classical shows with an outrageous anything-goes-philosophy. All the youngsters are natural scene-stealers and this year's cast has a good supply of boys who give the always-good girls a run for their money.

Amongst the many excellent scenes the cleaner's scene is chaotically standout with Yasmin D'Costa, Hannah Smith, Melissa Curd and Bethany Kenny singing the twelve days of Christmas as well as solo's throughout the show. The scenes when Swanky and Herod were together were also excellent. Also of note in the singing department were Sara Royle, Charlotte Royle and Nathan Wilkinson. Abbie Lee's choreography was also nicely done and danced energetically by all the cast. An understated Dopey as played by Oliver Durcan was a nice turn also as was the three wise guys, Jake Bentham, Daniel Geldart and Ben Whittle. Liz Keogh as a put-upon Ruth was well played. Ugly sisters Joe Harper and Ben Whittle were suitably unfeminine, whilst Joe D'Costa as Joe and an over-the-top baddie, James Butterworth as Herod almost stole the limelight. That, however, must go to Elizabeth Schofield as Swanky. She was the glue that held the whole ensemble together with a terrific performance of slapstick humour and comic timing.

All in all, an amazing show by an effervescent bunch of youngsters who get a bad press at the best of times but no good ones when its deserved. Well, from this old grumpy fossil, you can hold your heads up high. Puff out your chests. You were brilliant.

Brian Marr.