The Magical Road To Oz is this year’s excuse for the Brighton alternative pantomime.

Very freely adapted from the Hollywood classic of 1939 and featuring a cast never before imagined by George Cukor, the story features Dorothy, a Tin Man, a Lion and a Scarecrow as well as Liza Minelli, three Canadian mounties and the animal cast of The Lion King complete with parrot.

The usual suspects, notably Lee Tracey, Phil Harlequeen, Jason Lee and Chris Howard strut their stuff in a dazzling array of fairy dresses and fancy tights but never mind the sequins, just listen to the singing.

Star of the show is probably Dorothy (Miss Jason) in red very, very high-heeled shoes and horizontal pigtails but a sweetly vulgar line in high camp comedy. There is much fun to be had with politics, Isis (“vanilla or chocolate?”), ebola and the Green Party.

Brian Ralfe’s usual silent appearance in a very silly dress is always a high point.

The audience sings a song badly about chickens and giggles happily at endless lines of innuendo and terrible jokes which the cast can’t always remember. Oh no – they could...