YOU know that any panto written and directed by Alan Clements will be a good one and Sleeping Beauty at the Garrick is no exception.

Don’t sit on the front row. Dave, a member of the audience, made that mistake and ended up with the Dame, Nurse Dotty Diddly Doo testing him with a stethoscope!

The Dame, played by Steve Connolly and Silly Billy (Liam Dodd), described as “One magic wand short of a spell “ skilfully dance around a balloon.

There are 12 real dancers too. They excel in the Land of Dreams scene.

The story is about a King and Queen, who after many childless years, have a baby daughter, Beauty. Sadly the Queen dies but the King (Dave Midgely) perks up for the Christening Party.

The fairies bestow the child with Goodness, Grace, Charity and Love.

When the uninvited fairy, Carabosse, appears, she curses the Princess saying that on her 18th birthday, Beauty will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die.

Good Fairy Rosebud changes this by predicting the Princess and the Court will just fall asleep until a Prince kisses Beauty awake.

Both the fairies are outstanding. Beverley Stuart-Cole’s Fairy Rosebud is seldom off stage as she waves her wand for good. Hannah Williams, a force for evil, gets her share of boos.

Prince Florizel (Olivia Callaghan) and Princess Beauty (Lara Hancox) sing a lovely duet and, later, all ends happily.

This is a family panto – no smutty jokes – and Mike Shaw and his team’s costumes add to the effect.

* Sleeping Beauty is at the Garrick Playhouse at varying times until Sunday, January 7. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677 or online. Star rating: * * * *.