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Amid all the fun and laughter of this opening weekend performance of Imagine Theatre's production of Aladdin its star JP McCue, aka Dame Dolly, made an important announcement.

This year, the show is supporting Side by Side Theatre, a local charity and group for adults living with a wide range of disabilities which gives them opportunities to 'tread the boards' in the same way.

JP, who also co-wrote the show alongside director Janice Dunn, explained how the arts have been hit hard in the past 12 months and that the theatre and show-going public's help in allowing the likes of Side by Side and Imagine to bounce back is much needed and appreciated.

Production shot of the main cast of the Leamington Christmas panto, Aladdin.

And help is what the the audience did during this performance.

It was clear to see throughout the show that those on stage loved being back at the Spa Centre after the panto was cancelled last year.

And over the many years in which I have watched JP and the team's productions and performances I have never seen an audience participate and enjoy the event quite so much as I did on Sunday evening.

The show, as ever, has JP, Sean Dodds - who was in his usual fine form and playing the titular main character this time - performing to their usual high standards.

David Haydn as Abanazar and Sean Dodds as Aladdin in the Leamington Christmas panto, Aladdin.

They really are a dynamic duo and, as ever, the heart and soul of the production

Denise Pitter, who has fantastic stage presence, makes a welcome return - this time as one of the good guys.

But one of the added bonuses and attractions of this year's show is David Haydn as Abanazar.

Haydn evokes something of Alan Rickman in Die Hard, or Jeremy Irons as the voice of Scar in Disney's The Lion King, to play the panto villain with aplomb.

JP McCue makes his entrance as Dame Dolly in the Leamington Christmas panto Aladdin.

He's so mean and nasty you just love to hate him and laugh about it.

There's also a fantastic neon magic carpet ride/song scene - which lights up the show - and the usual 'bad' jokes from Sean, the 'Ghostbusters / look behind you' routine for youngsters to shout at and some nice song and dance numbers.

It all makes for having live Christmas pantomime back in Leamington like a wish being granted for both the audience and performers alike.

Performances of Aladdin run twice daily on most days up to and including Sunday January 2.

To book tickets call 01926 334418 or click here.

'Like a wish come true': Our review of this year's Leamington Christmas pantomime Aladdin