ICE to see it ... to see it ice!

The much-loved, trail-blazing Everyman panto is back.

It's been a successful year for the Everyman with a range of diverse productions - touring and in-house – seasons any regional theatre would love to have.

The much-envied annual Rock and Roll Panto is in a league of its own.

It's compulsory to let your hair down, don an unabashed sing-and-dance along persona and go with the frenetic flow.

And so the Snow Queen arrives – and it was all white on the opening night.

You know where you are with an Everyman panto – they give 100 per cent aiming to work on two levels (and two tiers).

Youngsters and grown-ups can enjoy it for different reasons.

The energy of the multi-skilled-actor musicians is astonishing because they never let up.

You need the interval to catch your breath.

Writing and directing stalwarts Sarah A. Nixon and Mark Chatterton join forces with musical director Greg Last to present a lively, well-balanced, structured show that, happily, never once mentioned Brexit.

The Snow Queen (Viletta) is played by accomplished musician and flautist extraordinaire Lucy Thatcher, who also deserves warm praise for some stunning choreography.

Like all villains, Viletta is deluded here giving the cold shoulder to the gung ho heroes and heroines.

Lucy can certainly belt out a rocker such as Danger Zone from the film Top Gun.

The interval allows you to catch your breath in this roller-coaster of music, mayhem and madness as everyone wants to be the holder of the Stargate Stone which could do wonders for global warming.

The songs are mostly up tempo including Walking on sunshine, Stone love and a very inventive re-working of Queen's Bicycle race. Think of icicle ... it works.

There is also a tingly ballad from Molokai (Jamie Noar) with Keane's We might as well be strangers.

James has great comic timing, too.

This year's festive offering sees less physical humour and special effects while the soundtrack pulls a real punch.

Everyman favourites Adam Keast and Francis Tucker again make their brand of incessant nuttiness an art form - first as loveable penguins and then Tony Cornetto and 'dame' Beau Peep Pop, respectively.

The Snow Queen is followed around followed around by servant Hench, played by Lloyd Gorman, who also plays some mean guitar.

Laputa - the feisty female love interest - is played by Everyman panto first-timer-Nikita Johal.

She'll be back ... oh, yes she will.

Returning regular Danny Burns and another panto newcomer Barbara Hockaday play multiple daft duos: Cowslip and Speedwell, Bart and Babs the Sheep, and colour-splashed dancers Carlos and Santana.

Danny reminded me of American comedian Martin Short with his camp Mr Whippy.

And Fairy Snowdrop is in the very capable wings and wand of versatile Nicola Martinus–Smith.

A ballet sequence and a Saturday Night Fever tribute are inspired and that is the trademark of the Everyman panto crew they always pull something new out of the hat.

This is a well-rounded, action-packed and original panto ... what you might call a real 'Ice Scream ...'

Globe verdict:

FIVE STARS - Rock and Rolled Gold

The show is on until January 19, 2019.

Tickets from the box office on 0151 709 4776