IT HAS to be said that when people go to the Bristol Hippodrome for the Pantomime they are expecting something special and this, on the historic theatre’s centenary year, had to be considered a given.Last year we revelled in the glory of David Hasselhoff, but this year the Powers That Be decided to do away with the single big name and concentrate on a cast, production and set which epitomises the best in British festive theatre - lots of sparks and plenty of sparkle!Also gone are the tricky effects – such as 3D screens - and what we are left with is a show that has its roots firmly set in the grand tradition of pantomime: laughs all the way through and a feast for the eyes.Andy Ford is back for his fourth Bristol pantomime, and this year he really does have the starring role. As always, his jokes are funny and audience interaction is second to none; when he first comes on stage it is as Psy, singing and dancing ‘Wishee Style’, and you know the party has begun.And of course there were plenty in the audience keen to see Britain’s Got Talent finalists Flawless - the street dance troupe whose routines are so unbelievably synchronised and difficult they quite take your breath away! Their performance alone is worth the ticket price.Highlighted for special praise must be Graham Kent (Widow Twankey), Chris Thatcher (Aladdin), David Roper (Abanazar) and Chris Nelson (Major Pong), who all put in outstanding performances, although this year’s cast are all worthy of a mention for putting on a first class show.However, there was one notable exception – Carol McGiffin is certainly not destined for a career on stage. Here’s hoping that Bristol BB winner Josie Gibson can give the role of Genie a bit of sparkle when she joins the cast on December 19However, the set is spectacular, the costumes colourful and the songs are superb – especially if you like One Direction – so if you haven’t grabbed your tickets for Aladdin yet, make sure you don’t miss out. Aladdin is on at the Bristol Hippodrome until January 6.