I saw Malvern's Sleeping Beauty panto and it was almost perfect apart from one thing

Malvern Theatres panto may be on a smaller scale to some in the region but it always knows how to pull out the stops. Last Christmas, it included a rendition from Phantom of the Opera and this year there’s a fantastic opera sequence ending in the most hilarious comedy moment.

This year’s action-packed panto Sleeping Beauty, which runs until January 5, 2025, feels bang up to date with Wicked themes plus recent songs from Beyonce and Lady Gaga. Yet the real charm to this Worcestershire panto is how despite hi-tech touches like dragons and flames blazing, it doesn’t stray away from traditional elements and storytelling.

There’s still quaint painted backdrops, squirting water at the crowd and the ‘it’s behind you’ ghost song, which got the loudest reaction from children. It also never forgets to put the story first, amid the jokes and mayhem.

Yet as good as it is, there was one thing that I couldn’t overlook, which had to mark this show down from a top five star rating.

EastEnders’ actress Ellie Dadd, who played Amy Mitchell in the soap opera, headlines as someone off the telly. She opened the show with a song and dance routine she mainly giggled through - but when she sang it was worse.

Dadd looks the part and when she’s acting as Sleeping Beauty, she’s in her element. That’s obviously her forte and she played her well as a feisty heroine, who actually ends up rescuing the Prince after he’s saved her, in a fitting revamp of the fairytale.

But cutting to the chase, Dadd really can’t sing very well and noticeably so. Dadd is a big name that I’m sure helps sell tickets, but it seemed a cruel joke that there was stunning singer in the cast who was underused.

When Shani Cantor, playing Fairy Snowfall, finally sang late on in the panto to a version of Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em, she had the most amazing voice and it would have been a blessing to hear more of it.

I wouldn’t have minded if others had joined Dadd during her songs to cover up this weakness and her duet with Prince Vincent to Lady Gaga’s Die With A Smile was lovely. Charismatic Alexander Emery as the Prince does have a soulful voice and is an excellent all-rounder.

That said, this panto bubbles along nicely with surprises and several ‘wow’ moments. It’s helped by having a sensational baddie in Jordan Lee Davies as Carabosse. Flying around on stage, he steals the show, even from much-loved regular comic Mark James - and that says a lot.

Panto regular James is always the joker of the pack, who this year plays Chester the Jester. Don’t get me wrong, he still has children, and adults, lapping up his every appearance from his catchphrase ‘Where’s me mates?’ to firing water pistols at the crowd.

He’s got the balance just right as he doesn’t overstay his welcome on stage and gives room for the rest of the cast to shine. Long queues of families waiting to have their photo with James in the Malvern Theatres foyer afterwards say it all.

Elsewhere, there’s Welsh baritone Mark Llewelyn Evans as The King, who provides something unexpected when he breaks into an emotional full-on opera song after his daughter is put into an endless sleep. I could see children open mouthed around me, who’d never heard anything like it before live and it was lovely.

That’s what makes Malvern Theatres’ panto so special. I always feel like I’m getting quality for money and they’ve tried to give a wonderful introduction to the theatre for the youngest members of the audience. Hopefully they’ll want to rush back for other shows.

They also perfectly counter-balanced the opera well with a comedy highlight, so it avoided anyone getting bored or distracted. It was also extremely funny, without spoiling the surprise.

This is such a high quality, charming panto for Christmas, yet the prices have to be among or probably are the best value in the Midlands. They are between £17.92 and £37.52, and that higher price is for the best seats in the house.

Once again Malvern Theatres has created a panto that stands out from the crowd. It’s near perfect - apart from some out of tune singing - but despite that, Sleeping Beauty is a fantastically thrilling, must-see show for all the family this Christmas.

Sleeping Beauty panto continues at Malvern Theatres in Grange Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, until January 5, 2025. Tickets cost from £17.92 to £37.52.