Barbara Windsor, looking nothing like her 70-plus years, descended slowly on to the stage, gently let down by a wire.

Dressed in the first of what turned out to be many wonderful fairy costumes, she explained how she had been waylaid for 16 years in London’s East End, but was now back to her normal role of righting wrongs in the wider world.

In her broad Cockney accent she said: “I know what you are all thinking, ‘she’s very small, isn’t she’.”

Indeed, this was a panto in which smallness was celebrated and the diminutive Ben Goffe, as Captain Titchworth, was a very funny sight as he embraced the very large and comical Eric Potts, who took the part of the pantomime dame.

All the usual ingredients were there, including a song for Bristolians, which introduced me to the affectionate terms “my babber” and “thanks drive”, and we all hissed the evil King Rat, played by Granville Saxton.

This was a panto for adults as much as for children, and comedian Andy Ford, as Idle Jack, had the audience in stitches with his saucy jokes and double entendres.

But it wasn’t just traditional. In a novel scene, the stage turned into a cinema as we put on our 3D glasses and dived into the ocean, ducking this way and that to avoid various sea creatures which appeared to be heading towards us.

This was a stunning and lively panto, in all its luxurious best. Go and see it.