If you think this arena spectacular violates that unspoken rule of knowing crapness in pantomime by promising 3D graphics and a celebrity star for whom the phrase ‘it’s behind you’ unusually couldn’t be applied to his career, think again. The SECC’s Aladdin proves a family Christmas show that’s surprisingly crapper than most.

Dashing bidialectal Scots-American John Barrowman’s all-singing, all-flouncing presence in the lead role (many amusing nod and winks are made from the absurdity of a high-profile gay entertainer pursuing a beautiful princess) is balanced out by him being placed opposite ghosts of Christmases past The Krankies. Their blue double-entendres keep parents chuckling, though Jimmy’s midget SuBo caricature’s squirting pussycat is taking things much too far.

The 3D genie would have looked laughable even in the pre-Avatar age, and even if the computer hadn’t crashed during the climactic final rubbing of the lamp scene – at which point a valiantly ad-libbing Barrowman may have wanted to use that last wish to set himself free.

SECC, Glasgow, until Sun 9 Jan