Our reviewer took his twin daughters to see the Snow Queen and their faces lit up from the moment the curtain lifted.  A great show at the Albany which dazzles kids... and their parents.

''.... it’s panto perfection, there are songs, puppetry, slapstick humour for the kids and the adults, flying toilet rolls and a good old sing-along. The community cast excel at all times.''

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The Sound of Music, Rugby Theatre, to Dec 15

Fifty years-plus on from the much-loved film, the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs have lost none of their appeal. And the performers at Rugby Theatre do them justice with some pitch-perfect singing. This feel-good production is the perfect antidote to Christmas shopping.

Merrily We Roll Along, Loft Theatre, Leamington, to Dec 14

This challenging Stephen Sondheim showbiz musical is carried along by vigorous direction and some fine performances. The music may not be Sondheim's best, but company vocal work under conductor Liam Walker is impressive.

Pictured: Franklin Shepard (Chris Gilbey-Smith), Mary Flynn (Vicky Holding), Charley Kringas (Justin Steer)

"Could this stage adaption possibly live up to the Raymond Briggs'  book which lives in my own childhood memory? I am delighted to say yes, yes, YES. Mike Aherne, as Father Christmas, might have stepped from the pages of my dog-eared paperback.."

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"...everything you would expect from a show and more. Superb acting, fabulous singing, sparkly costumes, beautiful stage sets and an abundance of audience participation."

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The Criterion cast rise to the challenge in the stage adaptation of the 1946 much-loved movie with meticulous direction, impeccable timing and an outstanding performance by the sound effects crew.

Puss in Boots, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, to Jan 11

Wonderful singing and dancing, great performances by the cast, and a spectacular set - this is another triumph for writer, director and star Iain Lauchlan, his talented sidekick Craig Hollingsworth, and the whole team. Don't miss it!

The Boy in the Dress, RSC, Stratford, to March 8

The story - from the hit David Walliams book - is a bit thin in places, but the performances are terrific, the song and dance numbers brilliant, and the set stunning. Overall, the show packs a potent punch. Recommended.

"...the company, in one of its most ambitious projects yet, takes this tale by the scruff of the neck and gives it new life with specially written music, lyrics and dance."

Pic: Sam Asbury stars as Silas Marner.

It's A Wonderful Life, Criterion Theatre, Coventry, Nov 30-Dec 7

This production promises to be a very different take on the classic Christmas story. Director Richard Warren says: "It's an affectionate tribute to the golden age of radio, and the way stories were told before cameras filled in the pictures".

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, Belgrade, to Nov 9

This uplifting show is packed with great toe-tapping, hand-clapping rock 'n' roll classics and you won't be able to resist singing along. The singing and musicianship are outstanding.

"Spence is a performer who can project and engage. Her accent moves effortlessly from West Midland to West Indian patois...This is theatre at its most intimate and thought-provoking.
Theatre absolute, in other words."

Chess, Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton, to Nov 9

One of the most ambitious musicals ever staged by The Masqueraders Theatrical Society, Chess has a huge cast and an impressive band. Sometimes the stage seems too small for the action - but it all works amazingly well. 

"...a provocative and exhilarating experience, and certainly a triumph for the Talisman."

The play hints on issues such as guilt, racism and sadism and even tries to provoke thought on pro’s and cons of capital punishment. It’s a brave undertaking which is here magnificently realised.

My Beautiful Launderette, Belgrade B2, to Nov 2.

The 1980s film comes to the stage with its tale of unlikely pals coming together to make a struggling launderette a success, but the Thatcherite ideals of the time rub up against the struggles of an immigrant family. Some of the dialogue seems dated but the performances are strong - and the play is darker than the film was.

"...powerful singing voices were a joy to listen to as they sang their way through some classics. The whole cast was excellent and I take my hat off to the ladies dressed in skimpy, black costumes."

A treat of jokes, impersonations, terrible puns, songs, gruesome details, dancing, rapping and a history lesson too!

''But technology aside, the show itself is great family fun, packed full of historical facts punctuated with blood, guts and gore... "

"... forced theatricality occurs because this play relies on telling, not showing. Points are invariably made didactically and sometimes ponderously.''

Photo by Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC

"Contemporary attitudes to conscientious objectors, unwed mothers and homosexual love are explored within the temporal framework of an assured production."

"There is enough humour, dastardly deeds and jump out moments to satisfy any audience..."

"...full of tension and suspense with some very spooky effects including thunder and lightning, hooting owls, screams, moving furniture and books flying off shelves."

"Shane Richie draws a standing ovation with a performance that bleeds pathos and vulnerability and yet still manages to hit the comedy high notes."

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Our young reviewers thought this stage adaption was just the ticket and were won over by the acting, while our more experienced critic put the set design in First Class. 

Dangerous Obsession, Belgrade, Coventry, to Oct 12

Not many positives to report here - a tired and outdated script, very little chemistry between the three actors, slow pace, and a rather anticlimactic conclusion. The play's high points fizzle and die in an instant.