When is a pantomime not a pantomime? Perhaps, before trying to answer this, I should try to define what a pantomime is. It seems to be a form of family entertainment peculiar to the English-speaking world and consisting of a story line, usually based on a folk tale or myth, with song, dance, topical jokes, slapstick, and audience participation.

Echoes of Bohemia: Czech Music for Wind Leoš Janáček Mládí (1924); Pavel Haas Wind Quintet, Op. 10 (1929); Martinů Sextet for wind and piano in E flat major, H 174 (1929); Antoine Reicha Quintet for Wind Instruments in E flat major, Op. 88 No. 2 (1811 – 17).

Every production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! will forever live in the shadow of 1968 when Carol Reed’s movie of the same name won a clutch of Oscars and, in doing so, embedded the likes of Ron Moody and Oliver Reed into our psyches for ever.

The repertoire is all accessible and melodic, with many of the pieces commissioned for the choir. There is plenty to enjoy, including a salmagundi of festive ingredients: eclectic, many first recordings of new music from the 21st century, all excellently sung with good diction and finely controlled under Simon Bell’s direction, coupled with Carleton Etherington’s lovely and effective accompaniments.

Fairytales for all the family in Leeds and Huddersfield; Christmas concerts with festive favourites in Kirklees and Leeds; A candlelit celebration of the Winter Solstice; Festive dishes with a Yorkshire twist in Kino; Waltzes and polkas in Huddersfield and Hull

The first movement sees Prokofiev in a reflective mood. The lush strings intertwine with flaring brass before returning to calmness and ending on a triumphant note. It was a pure coincidence, surely, but during its first performance, Russian forces were crossing the Vistula and entering Nazi Germany. The end of the war was only a few months away.

Harold Fry lived in our office at school for a while and introduced himself to all of us in turn as his book was passed from eager hand to eager hand. Queenie quickly followed.

In an action-packed performance full of music, life and more double entendres than Little John could shake his long staff at, the infamous City Varieties annual panto offering is back with more naughtiness than the average person can cope with! And I wallowed in it!

The promotional material describes a ‘riotous double bill’, and it is not wrong. The performance was exactly what was described on the tin, so to speak. This is a traditional British farce with many misunderstandings, numerous comings and goings and as ever, a scantily clad female.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has praised the dramatic transformation of the iconic Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley from an old textile mill into a thriving business, artistic and community hub.

I make no apology for including an old favourite as this week’s Poem of the Week. Keith Hutson’s poetry is an extension of the life he once lived. As an experienced comedy writer and old hand in the theatre industry, he has a natural sympathy with comics and entertainers of a certain historical vintage, their predecessors in Music Hall and on the early twentieth century stage.

Conductor John Wilson spent his lockdown reconstructing a fractured score, which contained numerous errors and omissions. With his work on Hollywood film scores, he seems to be making a speciality of this type of remodelling.