It’s pantomime season in the UK, the glorious theatrical tradition that has been on stages since the early 1700s. Originally developed from 16^th-century Italian street theatre, it’s one of our finest Christmas rituals. So, it’s off to my favourite London theatre, the intimate Union Theatre in Southwark, for this year’s best-named panto, The Liar, The Bitch and The Wardrobe. Genius!

The Union Theatre is one of those rare London gems – an independent, owner-managed space. Now in its 27^th year, founder Sasha Regan is as busy as ever and has directed this year’s show.

It’s 1939 in London, and war has broken out. Worried best-friend mums Gwendoline (Katie Ball) and Gertrude (Tom Duern) are worried about the safety of their sons Edward (Joe Pieri) and Peter (James Georgiou), and decide to evacuate them out of London to the safety of Barbara Douche’s Boarding School for Bad Butch Boys. Little do the mums know that the two strapping eighteen-year-olds are having a secret love affair. Once at Ms Douche’s school a game of hide and seek leads the guys into a wardrobe and, through the back of it, into the fantastical world of Narnia. There they meet an outrageous selection of characters, including Mr Topless, The Tight Bitch and The Hungry Beaver, not all of whom have their best interests at heart.

Regan has taken Joshua Coley’s hilarious script and run with it. What follows is a mad-cap two hours of escapism, full of very adult humour, puns, camp innuendo, musical dance numbers and lots of fun. The ridiculousness is never-ending, nor is the audience’s grinning. It’s super-queer and Pieri’s Mr Topless adds a sexiness to the shenanigans. There is a plot and messaging beneath the chaos and all the cast have a great chemistry. Hat’s off to Katie Ball for navigating six different characters – Gwendoline, Bonnie Who, Trolley Lady, Ghost, The Hungry Beaver and Arselan. Pop culture references abound including the music of Chappell Roan, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. The fourth wall is completely broken with various amounts of audience participation – nothing too scary but probably the reason why the front row was the last row to get filled! Oh no it isn’t. Oh yes it is! A great night out – please support grassroots theatre – it’s brilliant screen-free entertainment and we’d miss it if it wasn’t there.