Can there be anything more joyful at this time of year than a good, old-fashioned panto? Based on the reaction of the crowd at Birmingham Hippodrome on Tuesday evening, the answer to that question is a resounding NO! Robin Hood has it all: flamboyant costumes, startling special effects, sing-along songs, plenty of audience participation, slapstick comedy and endless corny jokes.

There is the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham (Matt Cardle) for the audience to boo, a courageous Robin Hood (Matt Slack) to save the day, the beautiful Maid Marion (Faye Tozer) as Robin’s love interest and, of course, the archetypal pantomime dame (the excellent Andrew Ryan as Henrietta, Robin’s mother) whose precariously teetering outfits become increasingly more outrageous. Sandra Marvin as the Spirit of Sherwood sprinkles the requisite amount of fairy dust over the proceedings, and the cast is ready to go.

Matt Slack proves once again just why his panto presence has become an essential element of Birmingham’s festive season. For more than ten years he has been delighting the local Christmas crowd and this year is no exception. If ever someone were born to perform panto, then surely it is Slack. His jokes are suitably cheesy, the innuendo-laden comments are just the right side of risqué and there can be few performers as adept as he at knowing just how to delight the crowd.

For those of us who know him only from television, Gok Wan’s performance as Gok Scarlet is something of a revelation. Like Slack, he is a natural for panto and their onstage partnership is pure delight. With infectious schoolboy giggles they ham up their performances and the result is laugh-out loud rib-tickling glee.

The quota of panto naturals is enhanced still further by the presence of Christopher Biggins as King Richard. One of the nation’s darlings and unrivalled panto royalty, Biggins gives a masterclass in stealing the show. His forays onto the stage are brief, but memorable, and while his constant exuberance might be a little too much at any other time of year, at panto-time it is just the ticket.

The Hippodrome does an excellent job, as ever, of keeping panto fresh; references to The Traitors and to Coldplay bring a contemporary note to a well-loved tale. There are the customary digs at different areas of Birmingham and plenty of taking the rip out of the audience and Brummies in general.

The set and costumes are a visual treat, the action is fast-paced and the laughs come thick and fast. Birmingham Hippodrome’s Robin Hood is enchanting, entertaining and full of festive fun. It cannot fail to do just what it says on the panto-labelled tin: to wow and to enchant audiences young and old. Pure panto-perfection!

Five stars

Reviewed by Rachel Smith at Birmingham Hippodrome on Monday 22 December. Robin Hood continues to show at the venue until Sunday 1 February.