This production is in the best tradition of true English pantomime and, in that tradition is, of course, set in rural France. It features excellent performances by professional actors, including the exquisitely attired dame, Monique Malmaison (Mark Stowey), and the wounded, lonely Beast (Keith Anthony Higham, pictured); and those by the local young performers who bring energy, wit and professionalism to the crowd scenes and the beautifully choreographed dance routines.

The cast also includes the local New Greenham Arts own off-the-wall duo of Clare Plested and Adam Brown as the Beast's staff-cum-henchpeople: Baguette and Croissant. Gaunt and eccentrically attired as a French maid and a cod maitre d', they bring a wacky anarchy to everything they turn their collective hands to.

Excellent too, is the bad wizard Scaramouche (Nick Smithers), attired in glistening greeny black, he oozes arrogance and mal-intent, as, among other evil deeds, he cruelly turns Prince Jacques into the Beast and Princess Rose (Victoria Hay) into the cutest of little green frogs, whom he then enslaves as his pet, Froggie.

The changes of scene are managed very cleverly by the movement of curtain backdrops by a somewhat manic character (Ian Street), who uses each scene change as the opportunity to offer (in vain) to play his accordion, and by a glamorous female assistant (Juliet Lundholm) who coquettishly announces each new scene displaying the information on a hand-held bill board.

And there is a very considerable succession of wonderful scenes: scenes such as the slapstick routine of the unsuccessful loading and unloading suitcases from a barrow; a grand finale worthy of a West End musical, and an absolutely fabulous dining scene where actors, food and crockery whizz manically round the table culminating in a frenzied dance on the table itself.

There is plenty of opportunity for audience participation too, with: the traditional sing along with youngsters from the audience on stage, the chance to boo and hiss the evil Scaramouche and, yes or rather, oui oui, the audience's turn to respond to prompts from the stage in Franglais.

The pantomime comes highly recommended and continues at The Corn Exchange, Newbury, until December 31 (01635 522733 or online at www.cornexchangenew.com).