SOME of the stars of Channel 5’s daily children’s TV programme block, Milkshake! were on hand to brighten up a wet afternoon at the Pavilion Theatre. The show was called The Magic Story Book and borrowed from fairy tales Cinderella, Peter Pan, Jack and the Beanstalk and many more.

Set amongst Milkshake’s magical bookcase, this mash-up of pantomime favourites featured an assortment of TV characters that skipped on stage in giant costumes such as Bob the Builder, Little Princess, Noddy, Fireman Sam, and Shimmer & Shine. The two unnervingly upbeat Milkshake! presenters kept things moving along at such a brisk pace that the hundreds of children in the audience never had a moment to get distracted.

The show came in two halves and was packed with the kind of all singing and dancing routines that regular viewers of Milkshake! will be familiar with. The simple re-telling of the fairy tales also made it an accessible way for the youngest members of the audience to experience an afternoon at the theatre.

Like the TV format itself, the live show was enough to keep the kids entertained for a short while but you probably wouldn’t want to spend much more time watching it. Though he didn’t feature in this production, Milkshake! presenter Derek Moran will be at the Pavilion Theatre later this year in the pantomime Jack & The Beanstalk.