If you are looking for some family entertainment this weekend, get yourself down to the Bristol Hippodrome for a showing of Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

The Disney musical set in wartime 1940, tells the story of three children evacuated from London to the safe haven of the countryside.

The trio are left in the care of Miss Eglantine Price, played Dianne Pilkington, an apprentice witch of the great Emelius Browne.

With help from a bed knob, a book about an island with no people, a broomstick, some ‘Negotiality’ and Substitutiary Locomotion- the team intend to use witchcraft to go to war with the Nazis, who killed the parents of the children and Englantines father.

Songs made famous by the original Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks are speckled throughout the performance with a huge list of musical numbers throughout both acts.

The set designs and work from the ensemble and swing need a special mention- in the opening credits it seemed odd to see so many ‘stage hands’ moving the set rather inconspicuously- but within time, the illusions and movements created by design Jamie Harrison added a depth to the musical that was as mystical as it was intelligent.

Dianne Pilkington was outstanding as the lead alongside Charles Brunton as Mr Browne. But the stand-out performance came from Conor O’Hara in his first lead as the eldest of the children, Charlie Rawlins. The youngster commanded the stage and was unbelievable throughout.

The huge ensemble performance of Portobello Road brough the house down but the magic and children were Disney- personified.

A beautiful show that will leaving you believing in magic, and family.