I'd had good feelings about this first Christmas show - and the first in-house production - at the revamped Haymarket since speaking to its experienced, eloquent director Richard Williams.

And hasn't he just pulled it all out of the bag to delight Basingstoke's families this winter!

His treatment of L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz is a disarmingly charming night out at the theatre, a marvellously visual spectacle which meshes sophisticated technology with classic storytelling to create a superb end result.

He's cleverly retained the look and iconography of the characters which were established by MGM's 1939 film, moving from the monochrome opening to glorious colour. Right down to her pigtails, blue gingham and white ankle socks, The Haymarket's Dorothy appears just as Judy Garland does on screen, and all of the major characters are similarly recognisable.

On the night I attended, I was delighted that Basingstoke's own Sydney Aldridge, a pupil of Kelly Hopkins Theatre Arts, would be performing the role of Dorothy, a part she shares with Newbury's Georgina Hendry.

The 15-year-old is a wonderfully self-possessed young actress with a beautiful voice, and she didn't falter once, remaining completely composed when the technology had a momentary off-moment or when the dog actor playing Toto - whose entrance garners the biggest "aw" of each evening - plonked his bottom on the stage and refused to budge.

The rest of the cast are equally good, playing to the hilt and mining every possible bit of humour from their roles. Michael Roberts' Lion, with his gurning and fretting, is a particular hit, but everyone, across the board, impresses. Andrew Price has a ball playing three characters, while James Rigby brings across the unique physicality of the Scarecrow and Ian Harris is a tender Tin Man, who may even draw a tear from you towards the play's conclusion.

Jo Castleton cackles to brilliant effect as the Wicked Witch of the West, while Lindsay Lauer's Glinda is a delightfully batty vision in white sparkles.

There's just so much to enjoy in this production: the sumptuous costumes, inventive production design, Mary Macadam's sterling work performing the entire soundtrack from a small platform to the right of the stage and the computer graphics, which have to cope with effects as diverse as a tornado and a disembodied Wizard.

And the "homegrown" element is maintained with the chorus of local children who play the munchkins, monkeys, Oz residents and, best of all, crazy Jitterbugs. Their input is the icing on the cake of this fully realised Christmas cracker.

JOANNE MACE

One would be hard pushed to find a production that is more true to everyone’s memory of the original than this delightful offering at the Haymarket Theatre.

Its minimal cast, who perform the main roles, give superb performances and what is initially seen as a sparse set is full of surprises, with holographic images and projected backdrops that cleverly add magic and depth of credibility to the variety of scenes.

Most notably, the poppy field is effectively recreated with imaginative projections onto a gauze and the Emerald City glistens with shards of green gemstones.

At this particular performance, Georgina Hendry took the role of Dorothy with a confidence belying her 14 years, working on an equal level to that of the other main characters.

Fifteen-year-old Sydney Aldridge alternates the role and they are both understudied by Ellie Bradshaw.

Jo Castleton is dramatically powerful as the Wicked Witch of the West with Lindsey Lauer as the sickly sweet Glinda the Good Witch.

Ian Harris, Michael Roberts and James Rigby give archetypal performances, fortifying the traditional memories of the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow respectively.

Andrew Prices completes the cast as Uncle Henry, the eccentric Guard and the Wizard himself.

JULIE WATTERSTON

While we have the wonderful Wizard of Oz going on in The Haymarket, it's appropriate that this year's Anvil production is another timeless tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

And it marks the very welcome return to Basingstoke of CBeebies' Chris Jarvis, a consummate professional whose panto shtick is, at this stage, honed to perfection.

As the director - and person who has expertly tweaked the traditional script - Chris has crafted the perfect family pantomime. Audiences will be heartened to know that the usual suspects, the "he's behind you", the super-soaking and yes, even the sweet-throwing, are all there, in amongst Disney songs, original songs and the narrative we all know so well.

And there's input from talented local children too, from Kelly Hopkins Theatre Arts and Basingstoke Academy of Dance.

Chris plays Muddles the Jester, who has a crush on the lovely Princess Snow White (a perfect Rebecca Marks). Her wicked stepmother (Carol Harrison), jealous of her beauty, wants her murdered pronto, but Muddles and the Henchman (Tom Owen) dispatch her instead to the forest, where she takes refuge with the dwarfs in their cottage.

Once again, UK Productions have come up trumps, using actors with dwarfism rather than children for the titular heroes, and expertly casting every other role. Refreshingly, we also have a man playing Prince Rooney of the Candovers, (Ian McLarnon) which adds a real frisson to the romantic plotline.

Both Ian and Rebecca have fabulous singing voices, and his performance of Take That's Rule the World provides a beautifully still moment in the middle of the frantic action. A version of the Scissor Sisters' I Don't Feel Like Dancing about cleaning up is perhaps the biggest hit.

This show's contemporary references and employment of harmless innuendo will charm the adults as well as the kids, with mentions of celebrities, pokes on Facebook and the revelation that Snow White's father "died in a canoeing accident".

Chris is a talented mimic, and impressions of Bruce Forsyth, Kenneth Williams and the cast of The Simpsons litter the running time. His energy and enthusiasm anchor proceedings and you know you're at a panto when he responds to someone's plea of "help me get down" with a rendition of James Brown's I Feel Good and a shimmy of his hips!

His input also explains the slew of CBeebies' references, which include a Balamory sequence and a special In the Night Garden appearance. And only someone as capable as Chris can command and control a section where children from the audience come up on stage to speak to him about Christmas. Their answers are always unique and heartwarming.

But the biggest accolades belong to former EastEnder Carol, who throws her absolute all into her terrific performance. She delivers her lines - "stick 'em in the toilet and flush 'em away!" - with relish, adding just the right amount of vitriol, and manages to transform into a genuinely terrifying hag live on stage. Her performance is so good that the children next to me were transfixed, so busy watching her with their mouths hanging open that they forgot to boo.

My companion at this year's Anvil Christmas show was a pantomime virgin who was missing a rather quality afternoon of Premiership football. The fact that he came away having thoroughly enjoyed it, and not regretted being there for one second, speaks volumes!

JOANNE MACE