BWW REVIEWS: SANDI TOKSVIG'S CHRISTMAS CRACKER, Royal Festival Hall

Picking the right show to entertain the family in the run-up to Christmas can be a tricky task - get it wrong and they're likely to refuse to accompany you to the theatre again for the next 12 months. Get it right, however, and you've got everyone in a good mood even before they've been plied with chocolate and presents. While a panto might seem like the obvious choice, there's plenty of alternative Christmas theatre options out there if you fancy something that doesn't involve giant beanstalks or glass slippers.

Which brings us neatly to Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker, which combines traditional panto elements like audience participation (yes, you will be expected to shout "he's behind you!" more than once) and call-and-response singalongs with a more traditional variety show. In addition to Toksvig's compering, there are musical numbers, a magic interlude from Pete Firman, and even a bit of opera - and that's all before the interval, after which we're treated to Toksvig's idiosyncratic retelling of A Christmas Carol, complete with ever-changing special guest stars, and a comic monologue from Ronnie Corbett that wants only for his trademark leather armchair to create that true Two Ronnies Christmas Special nostalgia factor.

The show is a tad rough around the edges, yet somehow the slightly shambolic air adds to its overall charm, and leaves the audience genuinely wondering what's around the corner. At first some of the more risqué material seems at odds with the family atmosphere Toksvig is aiming for, but by and large there's fun here for all ages, even if some of the gags are definitely aimed squarely at the grown-ups - sample targets on the first night included David Cameron's family politics and the state of public arts funding, though admittedly both of these had the audience roaring.

The ensemble works tirelessly to maintain the festive frolics, with Petra Massey's JLS-mimicking Fairy deserving special mention, and Toksvig herself makes for an extremely engaging host. That each night's performance also raises money for a charity chosen by its celebrity guest Scrooge is another point in its favour. Naturally the generally cosy and whimsical nature of the humour that's on offer won't appeal to everyone, but I'd be willing to wager that anyone who would find it hard to stomach is likely to have worked that out for themselves long before buying a ticket for a show called Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker in the first place. For the rest of us, however, there's plenty of heartwarming seasonal fun to be had.

Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker is at the Royal Festival Hall until 24 December 2009.

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