WHEN a green duck and a monkey puppet can leave young children and grown men rolling in the aisles with laughter, you know panto season has well and truly arrived.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre’s festive heart-warming offering of Jack and the Beanstalk is the perfect tonic for a chilly winter’s night.

Headed by Sherrie Hewson, Ken Morley and the legendary Keith Harris, the panto is laugh out loud fun from the off.

Although undoubtedly the stars of the show are loveable puppets Orville the Duck and Cuddles the monkey, an act which ventriloquist Harris has honed to perfection over his 30-year career, with his scenes leaving the entire audience shrieking with laughter.

Sherrie Hewson hams its up fabulously as the panto baddie, Lady Joyce Temple-Savage, the terrifying giant’s right-hand woman and it was great to see her reunited with former on-screen Corrie husband, Ken Morley as King Crumble, albeit for one musical number, which included quips to their infamous waterbed scene.

Nigel Ellacott takes the role of Dame Trot and it was clear to see why he is one of the country’s top panto dame performers, as he sashayed his way through the show in a variety of outrageous outfits, including one which cleverly revealed his affections for an unsuspecting audience member.

Returning Tamworth X-Factor star, Niki Evans and Any Dream Will Do contestant, Ben James-Ellis, provide the majority of the musical numbers in their roles of Fairy Fortune and hero Jack Trott while Sophie Brooke-Ford portrays a sweet Princess Apricot as Jack’s love-interest.

And complete with a moving and speaking 10ft ogre and a magical growing beanstalk, what more could you want?

The show runs until January 20.

For tickets call the box office on 01902 42 92 12 or visit grandtheatre.co.uk