It is a real Christmas treat going to Chipping Norton for a proper pantomime in the lovely Chipping Norton Theatre. The venue has a real community feeling about it, though the show had less David Cameron and Brexit jokes than I’d expected. Too soon, perhaps?

In this version of Puss in Boots, the eponymous(e) hero is known as Jack the Cat, and has a Caitlin Moran grey streak, great fashion sense, and the classic high self-regard of the cat of popular culture through the ages. Jack was played by Anna Tolputt, who, it has to be said, is the cat’s whiskers! Scott Waugh, one of the ensemble cast, should also be mentioned for great comic presence and a funny turn as Ivor Baton (yes, you guessed it - a conductor). The live music was also brilliant. From where we were sitting in the balcony, we had a great view of musical director Alex Maynard and percussionist Andy Meredith, and the huge range of instruments used during the show.

Set in the East End, with references to Eastenders plotlines that pleased this aged soap enthusiast, the show was a great whirlwind tour of 'East Laaaandin', with quick and clever set changes. The setting gave Rowan Talbot an opportunity to be a brilliant panto villain – amping up the boos and hisses with lots of asides to the audience. King Rat, with his ratty teeth and tail, was a Dirty Den geezer plotting an evil heist with his evil henchmen, very successfully played by the young supporting cast.

There were some great one-liners – including the best joke ever made about the London Symphony Orchestra (half of them are on the fiddle!); some really brilliant moments of audience participation; a hilarious and rather risqué dame modelled on Pat Butcher who had some of the best songs - “A dame can marry a king!”; and an adorable sidekick in Archie Buckle; and brave and beautiful Tiffany Treacle for love interest. All in all, the purrfect panto!

Wandering through beautifully Christmassy Chippy after the show, my crack team of 11 year olds reviewers produced their verdicts:

“An interesting mix of crude humour and audience participation”.

“Good”.

Then we got fish and chips.

Written with help from Pascal Andriantahina (aged 11) and Hazel Chapman (aged 11).