A round-up of the best pantos nationwide

ALADDIN

Gaiety Theatre, Dublin Until Jan 30 6.30pm €16.50-€35 gaietytheatre.com 01-6771717

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Tivoli Theatre, Dublin Until Jan 16 2.30pm/6.30pm €15 01-4544472 panto.ie

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

The Helix, DCU, Dublin Until Jan 16 2pm/6pm/7.30pm €24/€20 (family tickets 80/65) 01-7007000 thehelix.ie

At a quick tot, this year’s pantomime crop will yield two Jacks, two Aladdins two Snow Whites, 14 dwarves, a handful of Beauties and Beasts, several Scrooges, and a slumber party of sleeping beauties. But there’s only one Sinbad, so bonus points to the Everyman Palace for exclusivity at least.

Nobody in panto, though, could ever claim originality. A form so lacquered in history and ritual, the panto’s only rival for unaltered spectacle is the Latin Mass, which is similarly fond of colourful spectacle and men in frocks.

The Gaiety has presented a panto each year with one exception since 1874, and still fits the familiar pattern of fairytale plotlines, he’s-behind-you frolics, topical gags and minor celebrities to cheer for or good- naturedly hiss at.

This year Mikey "Boyzone" Graham is the villain in its Aladdin, George "Mondo" McMahon is the hero of the Helix's Jack and the Beanstalk, and Brian Big Brother Dowling is a panto dame in the Tivoli's Beauty and the Beast,with a roster of other sleb cameos through its run. As ever, it falls to the writers supply two tiers of gags – one to delight the kids, the other to tickle the grown-ups.

Can't see that? Catch this:

Jane Eyre

Gate, Dublin