Panto season is in full swing and what better way to get into the Christmas spirit than with the classic rags to riches tale, Cinderella, at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

With fabulous costumes, sparkling sets, catchy songs and real Shetland ponies, the show is set to be a spectacular family event.

The panto also has a glittering star cast including Suzanne Shaw as the Fairy Godmother, Russell Grant as Baron Hardup, Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist, Andrew Derbyshire, as Prince Charming and Holly Brewer as Cinderella herself.

The classic story has a few modern and quirky twists that will keep both adults and children entertained.

Actress, Suzanne, said: “There’s lots of interaction, we have a lot of magical moments.

“We have real ponies that come on stage to take Cinderella to the Ball. We have lots of special effects, like snow on the audience and we also perform the infamous ‘Let it Go’ from Frozen in the show so it will definitely tick the right boxes with the kids.”

The actress and singer, who lives just outside of High Wycombe, is performing at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre for the first time since she helped launch the theatre in 2010.

She said: “This is my first time performing there. I hosted the launch party with Jonathan Wilkes.

“I was really proud to open the theatre because I'm local to here. But this is my very first time performing there, so I feel really honoured and proud that this is my debut.”

Suzanne played Cinderella in last year’s pantomime but is taking on the role of the Fairy Godmother this year and admits her new role is much more rewarding.

“I am absolutely loving it. I get to do a bit of comedy and be the magical fairy that makes all the dreams come true, so it’s a really lovely role to play and I'm really excited about it.

“It’s the first time I’ve played the Fairy Godmother and they’ve made it so different and so fresh and young and exciting, so I've really thoroughly enjoyed myself during rehearsals and got a lot out of it.

“I've got to be creative with it; I've got to write my own stuff as well. Whereas Cinderella is very set in place, with the Fairy Godmother, you can step outside the box a bit.

“I got to come up with my own jokes, work with the writer, and also I'm assistant-directing the show so I'm working closely with the director. It’s opened up a whole new world for me in panto land.

“It’s been really, thoroughly exciting and thoroughly exhausting, but just a great challenge that I think I've needed. I've needed to take that step, especially because this is my fifth year of doing panto.

“I do prefer playing the Fairy Godmother. Maybe if I played this role again next year in Cinderella, because I've done all the hard work and the writing and getting more into that side of it, I might go ‘oh that’s a bit boring now, I’d rather play the bigger part’.

“But I think I've done so much with the character and developed it; it’s never been done in this way before.

“I prefer playing the Fairy Godmother because I've created the role, I've got to choose what I wanted to do with it, so I think the Fairy Godmother is much more satisfying.”

After finding fame as a singer in pop band Hear’Say, Suzanne has now firmly secured her place in the acting world after successful appearances on TV and stage.

After five years in panto, does Suzanne prefer the stage to a television set?

“I think I just prefer acting, it was my first passion. I've always had a love for stage because you can’t beat live.

“Television is such a different art and I don’t think you can really compare them. You can really find a character with TV, especially if you do a drama.

“You can really work on scenes and redo them and retake when needed, but with stage you only have one opportunity to get it right.

“I equally love them for different reasons but I get more of a buzz by being on stage, more of an adrenaline kick and more excitement. And my son comes to see me in every show I do, he really loves it.”

Suzanne admits that panto is hard work; but it has become something she has grown to love over the years.

“The first year I did panto, I thought ‘this sucks, I don’t have a Christmas’, because my only day off is Boxing Day. But the more I've done it, the more I couldn’t do without panto now.

“I'm sure at one point I would like a Christmas off. I've not had a Christmas off in ten years; I’ve been so busy with Emmerdale, Dancing on Ice, panto or other Christmas shows.

“I just really enjoy panto; it’s such an amazing thing to do. It’s like it’s my Christmas holiday as well because I get to do something really wacky and fun and everyone has a good giggle.

“As much as it’s possibly one of the hardest schedules you could have in show business, you also get to create a family environment at such a celebratory time of year and it’s just so much fun.

“People come to see panto to celebrate Christmas and you’re helping them celebrate it, it’s really special.”

Suzanne is raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity throughout the panto season. Visit www.celebvm.com for more information on how to donate.

Cinderella is running from December 12 to January 4 at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

Tickets range in price from £11.90 to £30.40 and are available from www.atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre or by calling the Box Office on 0844 871 7607.