IT began on December 8 and is now the last one standing, the finishing tape not breached until the end of the month. What a long haul for Cinderella and her ball, an even longer stretch than Billy Pearce' Peter Pan at Bradford Alhambra.

Convention has it that the Theatre Royal pantomime changes as the run rolls out, the show length tightened, the comic interplay fine tuned, the dame's ad-libbing opportunities established.

The latter is true but this winter's show, under the direction of Damian Cruden, had a fit-for-purpose look about it as early as press night, with little need for trimming Berwick Kaler's script; the set-pieces well choreographed by Grace Harrington; the rapport on tap from previous years, especially in David Leonard and Cinderella Suzy Cooper's performances.

A second viewing allows you to see what's working best and in this case the high point is a good old-fashioned song-and-dance routine early in the second half for Berwick Kaler and AJ Powell's Ugly Sisters, Hernia and Priscilla, with Leonard's spectacularly high-kicking Baroness Von Naff, in Got To Get A Gimmick!.

In fact the songs are particularly strong in Cinderella, with Jake Lindsay's Dimdini leading the way in the ensemble piece I'm Worth It, rapping and all, Hermione Lynch's Prince Charming and "The Caterers" bringing panache to The Makers Of The Sandwich, and new musical director Rob Castell making a most impressive debut.

The obligatory water scene undergoes a resurgence as Kaler puts his new stooge, Brummie Powell, through his naive novice training to good effect in the enforced absence of Martin Barrass, now bouncing back to good health after his motorcycle crash. The Carpool Karaoke spoof film with car driver Kaler and his Seventies' Star Guest still appears to be going over most heads, but later on Harry Gration's camp cameo is a gem.

A round of applause too for the Young People's Teams, playing the Mice so delightfully, and especially for Mark Walters' superb costume designs for Leonard, Powell and Kaler and his glittering sets, topped off by Cinderella's transformation scene.

Cinderella runs at York Theatre Royal until January 28. Box office: 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk