One of the funniest shows I have ever seen recently flew into The Lowry in Salford, writes Lisa Burns.

The Easter pantomime Mother Goose had the audience in stitches right from the beginning when comedian John Bishop came on stage to have a chat about the show, right up until the finale when the whole audience was on its feet singing along with the cast.

It was pure delight from beginning to end. I had a smile on my face throughout - so much so that my jaw was aching at the end!

The show starred one of the most renowned actors in Great Britain - Sir Ian McKellen, who played Caroline Goose, alongside Bishop who played Mother Goose’s husband Vic.

The two live in an old Debenhams store with a myriad of stray animals.

Unfortunately, the couple, alongside their son Jack, played by Oscar Conlon-Morrey, are struggling for money and are due to be evicted because of the rising bills from the energy company when they rescue a goose, Cilla Quack, who starts to lay golden eggs.

This soon draws the attention of Maligna, the bad fairy, played by Karen Mavundukure, who says Mrs Goose can have anything she likes in exchange for Cilla.

What ensures is a rags to riches tale with lots and lots of fun inbetween.

McKellen is an absolute legend and was fantastic as the old dame. His actions, his one-liners and his comedic timing were spot-on and he was an absolute joy to watch.

He and Bishop complemented one another beautifully and you could tell that they were having a lot of fun on stage. But it wasn’t just them, the whole ensemble were outstanding. Anna-Jane Casey (Cilla Quack) was exceptionally good, especially when she belted out ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade.’

The whole show was magnificent and if I could watch it again, I would!