IT'S been 12 years since the Alex staged a pantomime - but it certainly hasn't forgotten how to do things properly.

While there is nothing like a dame in this, JM Barrie's timeless classic has effortlessly become a show more in the traditional panto vein: lots of audience participation, silly gags and routines, a principal boy and girl, a very booable villain and a few jolly songs and dance routines.

Thankfully steering clear of too many OTT costumes and sets and star names for the sake of things, by no means does this have the appearance of a show-on-a-budget.

The cast of mainly unknowns provides solid, back-up to the two stars, giving thoroughly professional and competent singing/dancing/acting performances and, interestingly, Tinkerbell, instead of being somebody waving a torch at the stage - or nowadays a laser light - was, in the main, a slightly punkette figure on roller skates.

Leslie Grantham and Joe Pasquale are the headliners as Hook and Smee respectively and while I like and admire Grantham enormously as a man, from what I have seen in interviews, and from his small screen work, it pains me to say that as a stage performer he makes a great TV actor.

The night is really Joe Pasquale's, however, who is on home turf and relishes every moment.

As I suspected, he's better seen live then on screen and one wishes there could have been more of him. JK

The New Adventures of Peter Pan runs until January 28.