RAPUNZEL, CITIZENS THEATRE

RUNS UNTIL: JANUARY 3

Reviewed by: Patti Atkinson, 7, with her mum Lorraine, auntie Caroline and friend Amelia, 7, from North Kelvinside.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT: Writer Annie Siddons adds a bit of light to the dark and menacing Brother's Grimm tale. Set in the lush Tuscan countryside, Rapunzel is discovered abandoned as a baby in a kindly herbalist's garden. As Rapunzel comes of age, her loving but overbearing mother locks her in a tower to protect her from the world beyond their garden. With the help of a wild pig and some bumbling criminal types, the fearless heroine sets out to find her lost love.

KIDS' VERDICT: Patti: "I liked the bit when the sparkly curtain came down and the funny man started singing. My favourite character was Rapunzel." Amelia: "I was a bit scared when the witch was flying at the end.”

PARENTS' VERDICT: Heartwarming and funny with a visually impressive set, in particular the giant curtain of Rapunzel's hair. There is plenty of audience interaction, a few jokes for the adults and some catchy tunes. Cat Myers, drummer with Glasgow grunge duo Honeyblood is among the cast and Wendy Seager is superb in the dual roles of Mother and Paulo.

FUNNIEST BIT: Most of the laughs come from Buttons-esque cartoon villain Ambrosi.

SCARIEST BIT: The scene where Mother Gothel hacks off Rapunzel's hair might spook the youngest audience members but overall nothing too terrifying for older children.

BEST BIT: A shimmering golden curtain falls and Ambrosi slips on a sequinned jacket and joins Rapunzel for a catchy number about true love.

MARK OUT OF TEN: 8

SNOW WHITE, KING’S THEATRE

RUNS UNTIL JANUARY 10.

Reviewed by: The Wallace family from East Kilbride - Archie, 12, and Harry, 7, with mum and dad Ann and Fraser.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? Snow White (the lovely Jenny Hayley-Douglas, who doesn’t get enough to do) is banished by her wicked stepmother (Juliet Cadzow) for being too beautiful, but Hector the henchman (Gregor Fisher) chickens out of killing her and lets her escape to live with the seven dwarves. But the wicked queen catches up with her and poisons her with an apple. It’s up to handsome Prince Lorenzo (Allan Jay) and hilarious Muddles (Des Clarke) to save the day!

KIDS’ VERDICT: Harry: “Hector was funny, especially the bit when he does Highland dancing and pretends he is not trying to kill Snow White.” Archie: “It was great, but I always feel a bit sorry for Des Clarke, because he never gets anyone to fall in love with him. He should be the hero next year.”

PARENTS’ VERDICT: Lots of panto fun, with Fisher and Clarke a fine new double act that surely has to be back next year, lovely singing from Jenny and Allan and some good gags, but it does feel like the oomph is missing until the second half.

FUNNIEST BIT: Hector’s reply to Muddles’ fearful question: “Who is that?” when Loopy the dwarf appears at the side of the stage. “I don’t know, but he’s miles away,” deadpans the not-so-wicked henchman.

SCARIEST BIT: The boys didn’t think the wicked queen was at all scary, but the freaky mirror with its floating head and weird mouth gave them the heebie-jeebies.

BEST BIT: Watching rows of small children scream themselves hoarse in a bid to prevent poor Snow White from taking a bite out of THAT apple.

MARK OUT OF 10: 8

SLEEPING BETTY AT THE TRON THEATRE

RUNS UNTIL JANUARY 3

Reviewed by the Braidens from Lenzie: Aoibhy, 10, Calum, 5, James, 2, dad Gerry and mum Clare

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Set in Pantalooney-land, Sleeping Betty is a gallus and camp take on the classic tale. Our journey begins with Hamish the talking, and very flatulent, Hamster (Julie Nimmo Smith AKA Balamory's Miss Hoolie), who warns us about her best friend Betty's problems staying awake. She kicks the action off by inadvertently inviting the evil witch Fairly Evil (the clue is in the 'fairly' bit) to Princess Betty's birthday ball. Cue a few tunes straight from the Rocky Horror songbook, some genuinely laugh-out-loud audience interactions and classic Glasgow patter staying the right side of naff.

KIDS’ VERDICT: Aoibhy: "Handsome Dan and his "foncy doncing" stole the show. It was hilarious when he shouted at the cleaner and made the rest of the cast forget their lines. I hope he didn't get into trouble for it." Calum: "Farting hamsters are funny. But I didn't know it was Miss Hoolie."

PARENTS’ VERDICT: “Can there be a more festive venue than the Tron, with the old Kirk clock tower like something from a scenery backdrop? No one goes to panto for a plot line but by the second part, storyline-wise it was a bit thin.”

FUNNIEST BIT: Whenever Handsome Dan opened his mouth or strutted his stuff.

SCARIEST BIT: Fairly Evil's spine-tingling cackle

BEST BIT: The twist at the end involving Handsome Dan.

MARK OUT OF TEN: 8

PETER PAN, CLYDE AUDITORIUM

RUNS UNTIL JANUARY 3.

REVIEWED BY: Abbie Leckie, 9, from Coatbridge, her sister Amber, 3, and family friend Bill Bain

WHAT’S IT ABOUT: The world’s most inexplicable entertainment act are perfectly cast in this ‘wha’s like us’ interpretation of JM Barrie’s tale of lost innocence and aging process anxiety, Kranking up the near-the-knuckle innuendo to new heights of salacious fandabbiedoziness. David ‘The Hoff’ Hasselhoff channels both Frank-N-Furter and Toast of London for his portrayal of Captain Hook, and local lass Michelle McManus lends support as Mimi the Mermaid, who despite being dressed as Liberace playing Aquaman, is the only thing in this two-hour experiment in surreality that anchors the Clyde Auditorium to planet Earth and reminds us reality still exists somewhere out there.

KIDS’ VERDICT: Abbie: “I really liked the underwater 3D bit where we had to put our glasses on and lots of sharks and crocodiles burst out of the screen, it was brilliant. I also thought wee Jimmy and Captain Hook were funny.” Amber: “I liked it when everybody had to bring Tinkerbell back to life by saying they believed in fairies. Everyone was happy when she was back on the stage, I believe in fairies.”

GROWN-UPS’ VERDICT: “All hail the Hoff - not forgetting wee Jimmy and his pal. This is genuinely great entertainment for all ages and everyone involved was obviously having a ball."

FUNNIEST BIT: Ian Krankie’s prop mishap with a ‘floppy’ plastic dagger drew some saucy, quick-witted ad-libs from wife Jeanette and the couple’s unprintable reference to Debbie McGee also had adults in the crowd wide-eyed at its audacity.

SCARIEST BIT: The solo scene featuring Wee Jimmy Krankie surfing in a Baywatch swimming costume while crooning a Beach Boys pastiche littered with ‘Glesga banter’ was a one act play of existentialist horror.

BEST BIT: A masterpiece in tightly-scripted cheeky wordplay with the Krankies and The Hoff debating how to go about the business of plucking pheasants. Simplistic and purile, maybe, but genuinely hilarious with years of finely-honed comedic timing coming into play by all performers.

MARK OUT OF TEN: 9