It's nearly the end - oh no it isn't, oh yes it is!

As I write this, today's matinee audience are still leaving the theatre and there's just five more performances of Robin Hood to go.

We've announced today that over 120,000 people will have come to see the show by the time it ends on Sunday (1 Feb) and £2.5 million taken at the box office. This has broken the previous two panto's.

Despite what's happening with the credit crunch generally, it does seem that people really do want to spend money on something that will cheer them up and pantomime obviously provides that. Especially when you have a brilliant cast led by the fantastic, fantastic, fantastic John Barrowman and our very own Don Maclean and of course Paul Zerdin who has been such a hit with our audiences this year.

I've been knocking on a few dressing room doors to say goodbye to people today, it's always sad when a panto season comes to an end as the theatre staff and the panto company become one big theatre family.

We had our pantomime party last night in the theatre and there were quite a few tears and goodbye's at the end of it.

I'm told that our other panto favourite Brian Conley will be in on Sunday to watch the show together with a few other famous panto faces - so that will be a nice ending to a great season.

But hey ho in the magical land of pantomime it won't be long before we'll be announcing the stars of Snow White - I wonder who it will be this year?

Oh I hope it's ... now that would be telling.

Happy panto going.

Signing off.