Each and every year I sit down to write my review of the Wolverhampton Grand pantomime, and each and every year I find it increasingly difficult to do so - because this is a show which just keeps getting better and better.
A few years back, The Grand took a decision to move its panto away from being a generic off-the-shelf show to be a self-produced in house piece. That comes with benefits but also a number of risks.
Would the theatre be able to create something of scale every twelve months and would they be able to attract writers and performers of a calibre that the city commands?
That decision turned out to be one of the best moves the theatre has ever made - and the production on stage this year exemplifies the reason why.
Sleeping Beauty is two hours of laughs, amazement and ear-to-ear grins which is testament to the drive of Ian, Tam and the creative team to develop an annual production that Wolverhampton deserves.
First thing's first, the set is stunning. Jutting out into the auditorium, this is the biggest, flashiest backdrop to a Wolverhampton pantomime I've seen in a long while and it sets the tone of the show perfectly. The lighting and sound design complement the visuals so before a foot has touched the boards, we're already starting from a good place.
Cue the music, up goes the curtain and we're treated to a sensory overload (in the very best way!) that gives you a snapshot of what's to come.
We also need to credit our writing team who are charged with creating something new every year and who, incredibly, seem to push the boundaries of what can be done more and more.
Last year I said Tam and Ian had smashed the script out of the park. This year they've run and collected it, brought it back and done it a second time.
The story brings together a good number of local nods, the perfect complement of innuendo, a brilliantly executed run of political satire and comedy which isn't so silly it's unwatchable.
So many other shows around the country hang their hats on using their celebrity lead as a foil for the comedian's one liners. Where this show differs is the comedy is clever; it's old school pantomime jokes that aren't over-egged and land perfectly.
What's also spot on is the casting and, for the third year running, the team have brought together a number of performers who are both well known...and also really good at what they do!
Debra Stephenson takes on the role of The Queen and delivers a stellar performance. Whether you know her from Bad Girls or Corrie, or one of the myriad of voices she brought with her to Wolverhampton, you won't leave disappointed. She also worked seamlessly alongside Wolverhampton's very own Zak Douglas, who swapped the big screen for the stage playing The Herald - a role with a twist and one which he excelled in.
As well as putting pen to paper, Ian and Tam are back as mother and son - Mickey Fortune and Dame Mary Fortune. Make no bones about it, this pair are pantomime in Wolverhampton. On paper, having the same dame and comic back year in, year out could become stale very quickly - however Ian and Tam manage to keep it effortlessly fresh and the audience love them for it.
It's also evident that they love what they do and that filters through their performance, and the performances of everyone else on stage. It's an infectious love for the genre and the venue which just can't be learnt and goes such a long way to make the show what it is.
Georgia Iudica-Davies and Solomon Davy bring the best of the West End to The Grand as our Prince and Princess. Both are incredible young talents who have the perfect chemistry together and perfectly matched out veterans when so many others would get lost in the mix.
And then we have Danny Beard.
I have to confess, Drag Race UK has never been on my watch list and Big Brother just doesn't float my boat. However, Danny's performance as Carabosse was exceptional.
When I interviewed them at the press launch, they said their interpretation would be glamorous and evil in equal measure, but with a bit of heart too - and that's exactly what was delivered.
There was nothing cheesy of over the top about Danny's performance - instead they brought an immaculate level of sass, timing and charisma, plus a phenomenal singing voice. It was easily the best panto villain I've seen on stage - and whoever takes on the role next year will have a long way to go to beat it.
What's incredible about the Grand Theatre pantomime is the lack of pretentious characters and the excitement of everyone involved to create the show.
Last year I said this was the regional pantomime that all others look to for inspiration - and I stand by that. If anyone wants to understand how to create a pantomime which works for their theatre and its audience then this is the text book that should be studied.
To quote Danny Beard; this is a pantomime for Wolverhampton, by Wolverhampton, with love poured through it on every level.
Sleeping Beauty plays at Wolverhampton Grand until 4th January 2026. For more information, or to get your tickets, visit grandtheatre.co.uk.
