Rapunzel

Rapunzel opens at Storyhouse on Friday 4 December, running through to Sunday 3 January. It's a brand-new Storyhouse Originals pantomime, so it's written and produced in-house rather than brought in from elsewhere. The story is the one you know: Rapunzel dreams of seeing the world beyond the walls of her tower until a charming visitor arrives and she discovers she has more power than she ever imagined. It's built around big beats, big hair and mega pop hits, with dazzling dance routines and laugh-out-loud comedy meant for the whole family.

Creative director Suzie Henderson brought back writer Anne Odeke for this one, whose warmth, humour and understanding of family audiences have made her a house favourite. The show follows the success of the venue's previous festive pantomime, Fromage Ville (a take on Beauty and the Beast), which drew almost 25,000 fans, including more than 4,300 school children, and picked up five-star reviews. This one is a fresh start, though, with its own cast and a pop-heavy energy that sets it apart from the traditional panto.

On stage, Charlie Mae McKevitt plays Rapunzel, with James Colebrook as Prince Iver. John Holt Roberts takes on a double role as King Marrow and Captain Pirate, and Jessica Dennis plays Fairy Gothel. Ernie Acquah is composer and sound designer, and the choreography is by Sundeep Saini, so the music and dance are as much a part of the show as the script. It's directed by Gemma Fairlie.

Every performance is captioned, and there are also audio-described, relaxed and BSL-interpreted shows scheduled throughout the run. Tickets are £17.70 to £43.35 for members and £19.50 to £48.00 for non-members, with group and school rates available. It runs in the Main Theatre at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR, from 4 December to 3 January.