There is an abundance of colourful costumes, sensational sets, creative choreography, mesmerising music, silly slapstick and superb songs — appealing to all ages.

This is the fifth panto by Paul Holman Associates and it mixes all the traditional elements of the story with many modern touches and loads of audience participation.

A talented cast is headed by Bernie Clifton, Marshall Lancaster and Rob McVeigh, who put all their energy and enthusiasm into it, and there is never a dull moment.

The panto begins with a talking book revealing the treasures that await the evil Abanazar if he can find the boy Aladdin, and get him to retrieve a magic lamp from a dark and dangerous cave.

Marshall, in his first professional pantomime, is outstanding as Abanazar with a deep booming voice. He dubs himself the most handsome man in all of Newark.

Looking rather green around the gills he has the audience booing and hissing every time he comes on stage. He gets the audience to sing: “Oh yes, you are” to Come All Ye Faithful.

Rob is a likeable Aladdin and has a great singing voice, especially in Til The Sun Goes Down and Fight Fire With Fire. He is matched by Victoria Scott as Princess Jasmine, looking pretty as a picture and putting a powerful soprano voice to good use in The Sun And I. Their duet, Hey Baby, I Think I Want To Marry You, goes down a treat.

Bernie is undoubtedly the star of the show as Wishee Washee and has the audience eating out of the palm of his hands, with plenty of ad libs.

He teaches us how to do the Willie Carson jungle wiggle and we have to do that every time he comes on stage. He also gets us to look after a duck egg. If anyone goes near it we have to shout: “Don’t touch that crispy duck.”

Among the highlights are Bernie chucking a giant sausage roll into the audience, trying to deflate a gigantic deep sea diver, being joined by his ostrich, Oswald, in a dance routine, and singing a fantastic rendition of Nessun Dorma.

He works his magic when four children join him to perform Roger Jackson Had A Farm. One told him he was weird, while the other said the floor was sticky.

The ghost scene is hilarious, especially when the ghost trips on his costume and slides across the stage, with the cast and the rest of the audience laughing. It is so realistic that most people thought he had really hurt himself. I checked afterwards and was told it was all part of the show.

No panto is complete without a dame and Antony Stuart-Hicks, sounding rather like Lily Savage, wears a concoction of colourful outfits and wigs as Widow Twankey, including a China tea cup.

One of the highlights is her version of Jesse J’s Price Tag, backed by dancers from the Southwell-based Tozer Studios.

The children and dancers impress with their dance routines, choreographed by Hayley-Jane Simmons. They make a real impression dressed as mini ostriches.

Drew-Levi Huntsmen and Jake Lindsey provide much of the humour as the deep-voiced PC Ping and the red-faced, squeaky-voiced PC Pong. They run around the stage and get their legs taped together by Bernie just before a dance routine.

Lisa Hanman is comical as the Slave Of The Ring, always chatting away on her mobile phone, while elegant and all-powerful as the Genie Of The Lamp. She also gets to do some fire eating.

Steve Bruus as the Emperor of China sings: “Go Compare,” and gets us to say: “He is the very delectable, highly respectable, emperor Chop Suey III” every time he comes on stage.

The gala night on Friday, sponsored by Tallents, was three hours of pure entertainment. Aladdin, directed by Peter Dayson, is on until December 31 so catch it while you can — DAB.