Sheffield Theatres create Christmas glitz with musical White Christmas and pun-tastic panto Beauty and the Beast

Sheffield is renowned for its theatres. It boasts of being second only to London's West End and its creative talent has seen shows travel across the globe.

But there is no time like Christmas to prove yourself and, crucially in this challenged post-Covid era - tempt families in who only go to see a show once a year. The world famous Crucible always hosts a musical extravaganza while it's next-door neighbour, the Lyceum, stages panto at its finest.

Let's start with the gloriously glamorous staging of White Christmas. It is enchanting from the very start but the last scene is more deliciously Christmas than a bite of the world's best mince pie. It created a warmth and happiness that spread throughout the audience. If you could sum up the best of the festive season in a few minutes, this would do perfectly. I found myself wishing it was Christmas Eve as it felt as if Santa must surely already be on his way.

Every member of the cast throws themselves wholeheartedly into the romantic, slightly silly, tale of a warm Christmas in a place famous for snow. There are plenty of arguments, jokes and making-up but it is the spectacular costumes and music that carry you away. This is a big show for the most wonderful time of the year and you can't ask for more than that.

Around the corner in the grand old Lyceum, it is all about the puns - and the more pathetic the better. Beauty and the Beast is definitely not one of my favourite panto storylines but this is a hilarious panto.

The Dame has been played at Sheffield Lyceum by Damian Williams for the last 16 years and he is now established as one of the city's most loved adopted sons. However, he is given a run for his money this year by Blue's Duncan James. Celebrities in panto often seem like a pointless addition - there to draw the crowds but not very good at actually entertaining them. Not true in this case.

Duncan - aka self-obsessed heart throb Danton - was brilliant. He was happy to be the butt of jokes, gave as good as he got and sang his heart out. I did have to explain to my kids who he was but then the mums in their 40s loved every minute.

Another surprise hit this year is ventriloquist Max Fulham as Phillipe Fillop, alongside his puppet Gordon the Monkey. So cringey they were beyond cringe and instead crept into the world of catastrophically, calamitously good. Although Max did seem a little nervous at first, he threw himself 1,000% into every challenge that came his way ... and there were many.

There is something for every family on offer at Sheffield Theatres this season including a show aimed at very littles ones as young as three - A Town Called Christmas. The city is rightly proud of its theatrical and musical heritage.

Several shows - namely Jamie and Standing at Sky's Edge - have put the best of Sheffield on stages up and down the country. But there is nowhere like home to see the very best and to feel the glory of drama tingle through every bone in your body. There were standing ovations for both shows when I was there, although the panto was more of a jive along and sing as loud or as happily as your vocal chords would allow.

There is plenty more to come next year with shows including a staging of Arthur Miller's The Crucible in the only place where it should be seen. But now is the best time to enjoy the theatre with family. Whether you want a good old belly-chuckle or a joyfully teary seasonal love story, you'll find them both at Sheffield Theatres this December. My recommendation? Do both because nothing brings a family together better than a night of theatrical magic.