URMSTON Musical Theatre’s panto, Sleeping Beauty, gives a charming, fun adaptation of the famous fairy tale.

Penned by the director, Ian Darke, and a talented team of UMT members, it fits the performers well, because it has been written especially for them.

Sleeping Beauty herself, played perfectly by Isabelle Mead, grows into a beautiful Princess. Sadly, she and the court fall asleep for decades until a handsome Prince kisses her awake.

The King (Harry Frangleton) and Queen, Sally Mead, adore her but the love is not just stage love, for Sally is Isabelle’s mother in real life.

The kids are kept amused and yelling out by Michelle Speakman as Dotty, the learner fairy and Ben Thomas as Arfur, the Jester.

But they don’t only yell for the goodies, they boo the bad fairy, Grimhilda, who Helen Halfpenny makes really evil.

Some scenes stand out.

One is where Grimhilde wishes the Princess dead by her sixteenth birthday but the learner fairy ensures that she won’t die by pricking her finger on a spinning wheel but sleep until a Prince kisses her awake.

The Princess and her Prince, Alexandra Severn, sing three lovely duets together. including the delightful You are the Love of my Life.

The story is linked by Town Crier, Daniel Mellor, whose booming voice requires no microphone.

In one scene, three accomplished dancers show their mastery of complicated footwork and the final, wedding scene is a showcase for beautiful costumes.

One slight reservation is that, by staging the Princess’s accident high above the stage, it is not easy to see.

• Sleeping Beauty is at Urmston Leisure Centre, Bowfell Road, Urmston, from February 12 – 17 with two Saturday matinees. For tickets, telephone 0161 408 1288 or visit umt.org.uk. Star rating: * * *.