SINCE last year's visit to see Stourbridge Pantomime Company at its town hall home there have been plenty of changes with the venue now sitting at the heart of a revamped Crown Centre.

But one thing never alters and that is this group's ability to deliver a rollicking good time.

Mother Goose boasts puns and pazazz aplenty - with lavish sets and costumes there's more than a splattering of glitter and even pyrotenics thrown in for good measure. It was always going to be hard living up to last year's corker of a production in Cinderella, but Mother Goose - back for the first time in ten years - hits the mark. Christmas may be over and the drudgery of work back upon us but there were plenty of smiles emerging from Saturday's matinee.

The cast, chorus and production team should be proud of their efforts.

Donning the frocks in the roles of Mother Goose and Fairy Goosedown are Dave Jones and Mark Horne.

Their hilarious performances are perfectly panto while Steve Coussens puts in a wonderfully sinister turn as the Demon of Discontent who tricks Mother Goose into giving away her faithful goose Priscilla. There was a chorus of boos and hisses from the audience every time he appeared on stage - surely there is no higher praise for a panto villain.

Will Phipps is excellent as Mother Goose's jovial son Billy Goose and keeps the children happy slinging sweets into the audience at regular intervals.

Meanwhile Lara Mitchell plays Billy's love interest Jill Goodheart, displaying a stage presence beyond her 17 years.

Veteran Steve Humpherson was at the core of things as usual as Squire Goodheart working in some good-humoured local digs...watch out Halesowen and Lye!

And special mention must also be made of Melanie Glazzard. With the heating cranked up in the town hall she deserves plenty of credit for lasting the course in a sweltering looking Priscilla the Goose costume. She must be quackers!

Among the many highlights of the show was the Michael Jackson-inspired dance routine that was a real thriller and the goose dance with Queen Gander Julia Tromans leading the way. Adam Joy, the group's new musical director, has done a great job as has the man at the helm, Mike Capri.

The company's next production is Babes in the Wood, which will run from January 24-31, 2015.