Unlike the other pantomimes which are dominantly shown this time of year, Arabian Nights offers something different as it is interesting for both children and adults.

The stories are complex but not complicated, the live music make it dynamic to watch (you can see the music being produced) and the art of storytelling is fully explored and utilised. The scene opens with a raucous being played out on stage by the actors, who play various instruments, stamp their feet and hum in time with the music, which has a distinct oriental feel. The small cast hold the performance well, each performing many part and in a testament to their performance, their roles, although quickly changing never become confused. The actors, in their mode of storytelling refer to themselves in third person; initially this is confusing but is quickly resolved with progression of the play.

The story open with the tale of how the Arabian Night stories came to be, the vizierÔÇÖs daughter (played by Elin Phillips) a gifted story teller, tells the king a story every night to delay her death. She is undoubtedly the heroine of the story and the way she draws the audience in is captivating.

Alun Saunders Welsh accent combined with his portrayal of Ali Baba allows this distant story to become relatable to the young audience. The foreign names and places may be initially problematic for a young audience but the incorporation of the regional accents brings it fully into the British sphere.

The stage lacks the glitter usually associated with Christmas and instead replaces it with oriental beauty. The stage is dominated by purples, maroons and yellows which sum up the East. The princess remains dressed in white throughout and shows how she is the redeeming character in this tale of the kingÔÇÖs heartbreak and loss.

The king is thoughtfully portrayed by Ashley Alymann and questions the role of the traditional evil king (he does marry a new wife every night only to have her killed the next day) as the audience are asked to sympathise with his actions and understand how love really is able to save the day.

Artistic Director Rachel O’RiordanÔÇÖs first Christmas show has the elements needed for success and marks a new era for the Sherman. The dawn of this new production also saw the announcement of the new 2015 season with highlights including, Iphigenia in Splott and Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage. The theatreÔÇÖs new season focuses on the best of Welsh production and promoting emerging Welsh talent.