A ‘veteran’ of the previous two years’ pantomime offerings at the Bristol Hippodrome, I confess to a touch of trepidation when it came to this year’s production.

Maybe it was the grumpy old man in me, fearing that the presence of Louie Spence in a starring role, with his brand of hyperactive camp, would just be too much to bear over a two-and-a-half hour show.

Or perhaps it was the pre-emptive thoughts of my 10-year-old son, who continued to show the signs of his advancing years by suggesting that the choice of Cinderella for this year’s show was “just for girls”.

In the event, neither of us had reason to worry. Cinderella bears comparison with the best of the Hippodrome’s recent pantomimes. It rattles along at a frantic pace, featuring many laugh-out-loud moments – and they were just for the adults.

There is also an unusual, but really kid-pleasing, special feature just past the midway point, largely superfluous to the progress of the story but really an enjoyable addition.

All the key principles of the well-known story remain in place, but writer Eric Potts and director Chris Nelson have done a fine job of weaving their material and cast into an enjoyable production, filled with contemporary music and laced with in-jokes about Bristol and its environs.

Louie Spence sends the Camp-o-Meter off the scale, while Hippodrome favourite Andy Ford again delivers a load of laughs as Buttons.

While Suzanne Shaw in the title role and Andrew Derbyshire as Prince Charming can’t compete in those stakes, they deliver their roles and singing segments well. Graham Hoadly and Paul Burnham as the amusingly-named Ugly Sisters, Miley and Tulisa, are also pleasingly hideous.