The Wizard of Oz is a pantomime that will leave audiences crying with laughter at St Helens Theatre Royal this half term.
Based on the 1939 Oscar-winning MGM movie - an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's novel - it sees Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto trying to get back to Kansas, after a wild tornado lifts up their farmhouse and takes it to the fantasy world of Munchkinland.
There, Dorothy meets the good witch Glinda - played by the charming Hayley Russell - and Bethany Grace's mischievous Wicked Witch of the West. Furious after the farmhouse landed on her sister, the villain vows: "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!"
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Anyone taking on the role of Dorothy, made iconic by Judy Garland in the Hollywood film, certainly has big ruby red shoes to fill. But the impressive Maddie Hope Coelho does a great job here and nails the big numbers, including, of course, Over the Rainbow.
Not all of the youngsters in the audience for Wednesday night's performance were familiar with the classic soundtrack, but there is a smattering of modern pop songs added to the mix, which gets children dancing in their seats, particularly during a visually stunning circus scene, which breaks up the familiar plot.
What stands out above all else though is the humour. This show is hilarious, thanks in no small part to the first friend Dorothy encounters as she travels down the Yellow Brick Road to meet the Wizard of Oz.
The multi-talented Reece Sibbald not only plays the part of the lovable Scarecrow who wants a brain, but is also the director. And he has struck just the right balance between bawdy jokes for parents and slapstick humour that has children shrieking with delight.
From calamitous stage dives to classic audience interaction, he, along with Adam Melville's camp Tin Man, who is looking for a heart, and the Cowardly Lion, played by Michael Alan-Bailey, who needs to find courage, all ensure there's a lot of laughs.
But it's Sibbald's chemistry with Grace's Wicked Witch that really steals the show, leaving you guessing at times whether the chaos that's unfolding is actually unplanned or just brilliantly rehearsed. One tremendous scene after Scarecrow is shrunk by the witch had the audience absolutely howling.
Grace's Wicked Witch can also really sing - a belting rendition of Bat Out of Hell proves that - and there's plenty of captivating dance routines to match the fabulous costumes.
Fans of the TV series Shameless may just recognise Warren Donnelly as the deceptive Wizard. And you also can't overlook the cuteness of Toto the dog - the true hero of proceedings! So click your heels three times and book a ticket while you can.
Visit St Helens Theatre Royal website for more information and to book tickets.
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