Swansea Grand Theatre’s panto is always a magical one and at its opening night it was clear this year’s production of Sleeping Beauty would be no exception.

The performance, starring Britain's Got Talent winner Lance Corporal Richard Jones as Merlin the Magician, is packed full of magic (literally), mayhem and slapstick comedy which had the audience crying with laughter and singing along throughout.

On her 18th birthday Princess Beauty (Sarah McNicholas) will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die. Fortunately for her thanks to the intervention of Aurora, the Enchantress (the X Factor's Niki Evans) and Prince Oberyn of Oystermouth (Adam Baker) the sentence is reduced to a 100 year sleep.

That is the story in a nutshell but the show is much, much more.

There is jokes a-plenty, music, magic and mayhem throughout which had the audience in fits of laughter.

Jamie Birkett, who came flying onto stage for her opening number, revels in her role as the wicked fairy Carabosse, one of fairy tales' scariest characters of them all.

The pairing of Brendan Sheerin and Kev Johns as King Brendan and Queen Keviana is pure genius - they bounce off each other with their wit and comedic act.

However it was funnyman Matt Edwards who steals the show. He's like a wound-up Lee Evans bouncing around the stage as the hapless Muddles. But he didn't muddle up on stage as he showed the audience his multitude of talents from singing, dancing, acting and magic tricks whilst showing off his miming skills with Dafydd the sheep.

Qdos Entertainment's version of Sleeping Beauty stays true to the plotline we all know and love but with a fresh and modern twist on this old favourite in the form of modern day pop references, dance numbers and cast members performing some of this year’s biggest hits including Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop The Feeling.

And of course this year, fresh from winning the tenth series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent, Lance Corporal Richard Jones made his panto debut as Merlin the Wizard.

He helps give the show its wow factor by dazzling the audience with his magic tricks and illusions.

Sleeping Beauty is definitely a lively show that the whole family will enjoy - oh yes they will!

Catch it at Swansea Grand Theatre until January 8, 2017.