Lots of adults enjoy pantomime, but basically it's something you take the kids to see, and so it was illuminating to see the reaction at a matinee composed almost entirely of school parties, aged between six and 12. This production went down a treat, with the children shouting and clapping as prompted, or screaming a warning as the cat was about to drink a dish of drugged milk.They were clearly having a very good time.

Happily this Everyman panto is devoid of TV celebs on ego trips, and sticks to telling the story of Dick, a poor boy from Gloucester who goes to London with his cat, makes his fortune and wins the hand of his true love. Of course, as the earnest ten-year-old in the next seat told me: "The real Dick Whittington never went to Morocco, you know !"

Naomi Lee Schulke (pictured) is outstanding as Dick, with just the right amount of laddish thigh slapping, and a very likeable personality. Naomi is a trained classical singer, but knows what so many opera stars who have embarrassingly tried to sing pop songs do not, that you have to tone the voice down. But the technique and musicality are clearly there.

The other real star of the show is Mark Roper as King Rat, who rises in a cloud of dry ice from the side of the stage to strike terror into some of the youngest members of the audience. He revels in his evil role like some snarling biker, until, at the end, Fairy Bow Bells (Lynette Clarke), casts a spell and makes him loveable. He has some good lines: when posing as captain of the good ship HMS Peculiar he is nervously asked: "How often does a ship like this sink?" "Just the once!" he hisses.

The rest of the cast are excellent too, with a great traditional panto dame in the form of William Elliott as Sarah the Cook, clothed in an increasingly lurid series of costumes and wigs.

There was a real Dick Whittington who came from Gloucester and became Lord Mayor of London three times. He is buried in the church of St Michael Paternoster in the City of London. Some years ago a search was carried out to find his grave. They didn't, but they found a mummified cat!

Dick Whittington continues until January 12. For tickets call 01242 572573 or visit www.everymantheatre.org.uk.