When I was a child, Christmas began when my grandmother took us to London to see a show. It was the only time we trespassed inside a theatre, but we always went, every Christmas. Thankfully, shows for kids have come a long way since audience participation meant a roar of "He's behind you!" This Christmas, I've taken my kids to three very different performances, none of which had a dame in sight.

James Campbell's Christmas Comedy 4 Kids (jamescampbell.info) was the most impressive because there's not a glint of tinsel or glitter about him. Billed as the world's only stand-up comedian for kids, Campbell lets kids know they're cleverer than their parents, while magically still getting their mums to laugh, too.

The kids' favourite shimmery Christmas show was Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! (sadlerswells.com, matthewbournesnutcracker.com). It's ballet for everyone - boys, girls and grandparents - with a good story line.

The two-year-old twins enjoyed Finders Keepers (liveseymuseum.org.uk), a show-turned-exhibition, where the kids themselves have to pretend to be the collectors, peeking into secret drawers and making puppets out of bits and bobs.

Finders Keepers is in the Old Kent Road, but Nutcracker and Campbell will both tour next year, so you don't have to go to London to catch them. And you won't have to shout "He's behind you!" either.

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