Oh yes it is! Panto season is nearly here and to get the best it’s time to book those seats

For many of us the first experience we will have had of live theatre will be a pantomime or a Christmas show, and what an experience.

There’s no denying that panto will have been the motivation behind a lifetime of theatre going, it certainly was for me.

From the word go I fell in love with the spectacle, the glamour, glitter and fun that a panto brought into my life and I know that I’m not alone. To this day pantomimes and Christmas shows are the ideal place for families to celebrate the festive season and to introduce the young to the theatre, after all, what other shows would encourage you to join in and shout at the cast.

This year there is plenty to choose from, from the traditional to the modern. For years The Gardner Art Centre staged a series of wonderful Christmas shows penned by the marvellous Mike Carter, now he is back at what is now knows as ACCA with a new interpretation of Pinocchio directed by James Weisz – expect lots of fun and games!

Over in Worthing their seasonal offerings include the wonderful Snow White, poisoned apples, wicked queens and a dashing prince played by pop star Chesney Hawkes at the Pavilion Theatre, what’s not to love, and why not take a deep breath and enjoy Father Christmas come up trumps at The Connaught, need I say more?

If it’s tradition you love then it doesn’t come much better than Shoreham-by-Seas’ annual panto at the Ropetackle, and this year it’s Dick Whittington, a classic show suitable for all the family.

In Crawley, The Hawth have a long and acclaimed track record for staging some of the best pantos around and this year promises to be as brilliant as ever. They too are giving life to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the star of the show is TV’s Stephen Mulhern.

In Brighton the Dome has a wide array of seasonal fun but at the heart of the festive season will be Ballet Theatre UK’s dazzling production of The Snow Queen.

It might be too soon to break out the tinsel but it’s definitely time to plan that seasonal theatre treat and get booking.