AHOY there! Shiver me timbers and splice the mainbrace – and Billy Pearce will take the jokes from there.

It’s all hands on deck aboard the Jolly Roger, as panto king Billy is joined by a first-class cast in Peter Pan, the Alhambra’s spectacular panto whisking audiences away to Neverland.

With dancing mermaids, 3D piranhas, thrilling sword fights and one very angry crocodile, this swashbuckling adventure blends dazzling special effects with slapstick fun, leaving delighted youngsters – and not-so-youngsters – on the edge of their seats.

A panto isn’t quite the same without a dame, and there isn’t one in Peter Pan, but Billy’s clowning more than made up for that. “Hiya kids! I’m Smee – this year,” he grinned, with a knowing nod to this, his 18th Alhambra panto. Watching Billy in action is like watching a vaudeville entertainer; he makes it all look spontaneous, every move a masterclass in physical comedy. His voice-altering routine, and the Twelve Days of Christmas sing-along, had us in stitches.

Billy’s scenes with Darren Day, as dastardly Captain Hook, were a joy. The pair formed a great double act, bouncing off each other with comic panache. Darren brought an edgy charm to Hook; a sneering villain keeping one eye over his shoulder for his crocodile nemesis. He and Charlie Hardwick are both class act singers, and their duet on the Jolly Roger deck was a delight.

Charlie is a gem of a comic actress – she lit up the stage as feisty Mimi the Mermaid and shared great chemistry with Billy.

Jon Lee was an endearing Peter Pan, soaring through the air with ease, although I felt that, as an accomplished musical theatre star, he was under-used. Charismatic Lucy Evans gave a scene-stealing performance as cheeky Tinker Bell, while Rosie O’Hare and Marina Lawrence-Mahrra brought oomph to Wendy and Tiger Lily, who could be pretty wet characters in the wrong hands.

Well done, too, to local youngsters Theo Francis and William Campbell as John and Michael and to the cute sunbeams from the Sara Packham Theatre School.