You can tell Telford's International Centre is truly international when you walk into the auditorium to hear several hundred children singing at the top of their voices - in Spanish! Feliz Naviad is clearly a very popular song this Christmas and even before the panto started, the hyper-excited kids were intent on having a fabulous time. They were certainly given a plethora of participation opportunities to lap up.

The regular Telford dame, Ian Smith, was also on fine form and gave his annual master class of how to command an arena audience. The ever-popular 'call and response' routines are a major element of this year's panto. Playing The Fairy Godmother, he had the youngsters in the palm of his hand. “I say Fairy, you say G”. Either he was bowled over by the volume, or his high heels were wobbly.

With such a huge audience in such a cavernous space, the Telford panto has to be flashy and brassy and proud and loud. (Ear defenders are available). There is no room for nuance at this scale and the entire cast performs at full-pelt throughout; not necessarily with complete control.

The Ugly Sisters are played by women! Shelley Anne Rivers and Orla Ridpath make their entrance via the audience doors with water pistols blazing. Having given the kids a soaking, they berate them mercilessly. “You are pile of spotty, snotty brats. And your teachers are worse!” If Patsy and Edina did panto, they would be just like these two.

The kids took it all with a gurgle; though when the Sisters made poor Cinderella humiliatingly tear up her invitation to the ball in front of them, there was a degree of rebellion and outrage. Perhaps you can't have playground bullies in panto. Meanwhile, their medley of popular hits is belted out with gusto.

Cinderella is the star of the show. A classical singer with Britain's Got Talent credits, Lucy Kay has transitioned to panto effortlessly. She holds centre stage with grace and vitality and gets stuck into the magical effects. Her kitchen maid dress really does turn into a glittering ball gown before your very eyes - in a trick that is often the climax to pure magic shows. And she bravely swoops through the air in a gilded carriage.

Her wooer is Leo Sermulins who has traded a role in Les Miserables to play Prince Charming - which he does with an air of Prince William about him. The second half starts with a big West End Musical style song to prove his pedigree. Dandini is a ducking and weaving Alex Bain (Simon Barlow of Coronation Street), desperate not to end up in the clutches of the Ugly Sisters.

Holding it all together is the effervescent Carl Dutfield at Buttons, who is at his best when confiding in the children his unrequited love for Cinderella. Whilst being the kids' jokey playmate, he also delivers the majority of the 'grown up jokes' which are rather funny.  They had me giggling out loud in a sea of nonplussed, silent children, who would turn round to see why I was laughing. Mind you, I still don't get the kids' '6 - 7' joke which writer James Shone has topically squeezed into the show. I simply don't know what it means and by the look on his face, I'm not convinced The Fairy Godmother is entirely sure either.

This rumbustious, high octane, helter-skelter show is played out against a succession of colourful cartoon Christmas Card backdrops, complete with CGI snow. It's supported by a team of well-drilled dancers and juniors executing some particularly sophisticated choreography, including an innovative, jazzy courtly dance. And, with a nod to old-time panto, there's even a hokey cokey at the end.

Four stars

Reviewed by Chris Eldon Lee at Telford International Centre, Shropshire. Cinderella continutes to show at the venue until Friday 2 January.