From Cinderella to Snow White, and from Peter Pan to Aladdin, all the usual suspects are waiting in the wings as theatres across the region prepare for a fun-filled festive panto season.

Always eagerly anticipated and hugely popular, The Courtyard this year brings Peter Pan to the venue's stage for the first time ever.

Peter Pan entices the three Darling children to his home in Neverland with the promise of magic and adventures. Meanwhile, young Smee has joined the pirate crew against the wishes of his over-protective Mum, Dede Smee, who follows him to Neverland to make sure he always wears his vest and doesn’t get up to any mischief.

Add to the mix a naughty Tinkerbell, who tries to cause havoc whenever she can, a Hook-hungry crocodile, singing mermaids, flying, magic, song and dance and plenty of laughs.

Will Peter be able to defeat the wicked Captain Hook? Will the Darling children ever get home? Will Ms Smee be able to prevent her pirate son turning into a bad ‘un?

Adapted from the original by J.M Barrie and by arrangement with Great Ormond Street Hospital and Samuel French Ltd. £1 per ticket goes to GOSH.

Meanwhile in Malvern, the baddie in Snow White comes in the shape of Malvern favourite, the legendary Su Pollard, who this year returns to play The Wicked Queen, alongside Francesca McKean as Snow White, Aiden Banyard as the Prince, Philips Meeks as Nursie... and back by popular demand is comedy star Mark James as the loveable Muddles! in a magical adventure with a beautiful Princess, the jealous Wicked Queen, an enchanted mirror and a dashing Prince. With a little help along the way from the Muddles, Nursie and of course the Seven Dwarfs…

At The Regal in Tenbury Wells, it's the turn of Cinderella to charm a Christmas audience in a magical rags to riches tale with comedy, songs and family fun.

Cinderella's life is awful now her ugly step sisters have taken over the running of the family home. With only the forest animals for companions Cinderella has nothing to look forward to, until that is she meets a handsome stranger in the woods... Prince Charming is bored. Bored with his royal life and bored with the boring girls the King and Queen want him to marry until that is he meets a beautiful girl in the woods.... The future looks rosy for Cinderella until her step sisters realise there's a royal Prince on the lookout for a Bride....

Now in its fifth year The Regal pantomime has become a firmly established tradition of Christmas and family fun in Tenbury Wells. There will be a special relaxed performance of Cinderella on Wednesday, January 2 at 2pm.

A little further afield, at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, Aladdin, written and directed by actor and former Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan will be riding his magic carpet in for panto season, and at the Bristol Hippodrome Brian Conley leads a cast featuing fashion guru Gok Wan offering helpful style tips to The Ugly Sisters in the Fairy Godmother of all pantomimes, Cinderella. In Birmingham, the all star line up is led by Jimmy Osmond and Meera Syal in Peter Pan.

Peter Pan at The Courtyard from December 1 to January 12, 01432 340555/courtyard.org.uk

Snow White at Malvern from December 13 to January 6, 01684 892277

Aladdin at The Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, November 30 to January 3, 01242 572573

Cinderella at Bristol Hippodrome, December 8 to January 6, atgtickets.com

Peter Pan, Birmingham Hippodrome, December 19 to January 27, 0844 338 5000/birminghamhippodrome.com