SPINE-TINGLING performances and a healthy serving of hearty humour made Bridgwater Pantomime Society’s original production of The Snow Queen a slick show with truly professional polish.

Now in their fourth panto decade, it’s a big hats off to Keith and Margaret Robinson and Richard Porter for succeeding in brightening Andersen’s dark plot into a fabulously funny, family show.

That said, several moments definitely had the hairs standing up on the back of your neck.

The Snow Queen (Margaret) and Kai’s (Jordan Hill) rendition of ‘Frozen’ by Madonna was stunning and chilling.

Dressed in ‘House Of Freezer’, Jack Frost (Darren Oxman), looked as if he’d sprung right out of Andersen’s imagination with his ice-chipped face and silver-blue blade of hair.

Not forgetting the impressive electronic explosion of Vivaldi from Joe Moretti and his orchestra, below stage.

This panto is proof, yet again, of how all-pervading the spirit of Carnival is (indeed, many society members are also Carnival-ites).

It’s in the town hall’s glitzy frosting from the main doors to the arc of the stage; in the ‘on pointe’ choreography and costumes.

But most of all it’s the ‘all in this together-ness’, with dame Dotty (Keith) quipping like the pro he is to have us in stitches; smashing the ‘fourth wall’.

And that whether you’re the lighting tech or scenery painter, orchestra conductor, or selling the Mars Bars out front, it’s the whole panto family that makes The Snow Queen a corker.

DAISY BLACKLOCK

o THE Snow Queen continues until Saturday at the town hall and tickets are £10/£8 children and OAPs on 07939- 926449.