Aladdin , Empire Theatre, Liverpool
Empire Theatre, Liverpool: If anyone invents a gold standard for pantomime, this show would get close to reaching it. It's not just the dazzling bling of lavish sets and exquisite costuming. Everything in Eric Potts' script shines like an Aladdin's lamp: the love theme, strong characters, good triumphing over bad and the swapping of old panto jokes for new - or at least polishing them to appear new. Re…