I took my toddler to her first Christmas pantomime at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre and we had a ball

For many people, pantos are often the first thing they go to see at the theatre - and that was the case for my daughter, who after learning we were going to see Cinderella, fished out her finest princess outfit for the occasion.

Despite attending the matinee show on a November afternoon, I was already in the festive spirit as we took our seats, with sparkling lights shining on the twinkling red curtain. And after the band started, the curtain lifted and we got our first glance at the production, it really was non-stop laughs (layered jokes for the adults) and wholesome family fun from there.

Amber Sylvia Edwards is brilliant as Cinderella, with her remarkable singing voice bringing emotion and sensitivity to the musical numbers. Jordan Young as Buttons is a master in comic relief, with jokes coming so fast the audience barely get a chance finish laughing from the previous one. Gail Watson and Clare Gray are hilarious as the Ugly Sisters and despite their devious ways you can’t help but love them. Prince Charming is played by Will Callan who wows auidneces with his incredible voice | Douglas Robertson

Running until December 31, the show has been created by the world’s biggest pantomime producer, Crossroads Pantomimes, and that’s certainly evident with the quality of the production that boasts amazing sets and special effects including an incredible scene where the pumpkin carriage floats over the stalls.

Benefiting from seasoned panto stars, from the well-known Grant Stott (Baroness Hibernia Fortuna), who celebrates his 30th pantomime season this year, to Allan Stewart (the Fairy Godmother) who first performed in Cinderella in the 1970s, the chemistry among the cast made for a truly memorable, and at times, spontaneous panto.

Cinderella at Edinburgh's Festival Theatre runs until December 31 | NW

The two-hour show had all the hallmarks of pantomime, taking a universal story and making it local with regional jokes and dialect, adaptions of popular songs and audience interaction (try not to get noticed when you go to the toilet).

The Edinburgh-centric references created a strong sense of community and there are plenty of ad-lib opportunities that will make each performance unique. And it’s not just jokes for locals - other sources for comedy include Donald Trump, the layout of post offices and the questionable design of Ikea wardrobes.

My three-year-old was spellbound throughout the show | NW

Lyrics to well-known songs were changed to great effect to drive the story forward. The brilliant Fairy Godmother energised the crowd early on with her version of ‘Man I feel Like A Fairy’, which is arguably better that the Shania Twain original. Petula Clark’s ‘Downtown’ becomes ‘New Town’ - a cleverly written song that introduces the audience to the central characters, with plenty of Edinburgh references for locals to appreciate.

But for me the musical highlight was the spectacular ‘Fort Kinnaird’ performed by Baroness Hibernia Fortuna and the Ugly Sisters as they’re getting ready for the ball. Using the melody from ‘It’s Raining Men’ the brilliantly composed number had the audience in hysterics and was complemented by a projection that depicted the character’s favourite shops - even mentioning their disappointment at TGI Fridays closing last month.

Seasoned panto stars, Grant Stott, Allan Stewart and Jordan Young make this a must-see Christmas show | Douglas Robertson

A quintessential panto that will be enjoyed by all ages, Cinderella at the Festival Theatre is definitely one to book if you have yet to make panto plans. There were countless moments where both my daughter, who stood up for the entire second half, and I laughed out loud, with the high-quality production making it must-see theatre.

Leaving the theatre, I asked my daughter what her favourite part of the show was. “The granny” she said. The Fairy Godmother was magnificent, with plenty of tricks up her sleeve to make the audience roar with laughter. My advice to readers would be don’t miss a trick this Christmas and get yourself along.

Cinderella at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh runs until December 31 at various times. For more information and to book tickets you can visit the Capital Theatre website.