Christmas-themed musical extravaganza Babes in Toyland will bring some festive cheer to the Secombe Theatre next week, courtesy of the Wimbledon Light Opera Society.

Having been performed for over a century and, with the WLO’s 80 years of experience, a heart-warming, hilarious and melodious show is promised.

Weaving together various characters from the Mother Goose nursery rhymes and sprinkling the story with a host of songs from Victor Herbert, the production has proved a success time and time again - in America that is.

A tale of orphans, their wicked Uncle Barnaby and a magical land of spirited toys, the show is perfect for family members of all ages.

After all, where else could you expect to find romance, intrigue, a tap-dancing sheep and a giant spider?

First performed in 1903, the operetta has inspired numerous versions over the years, from a 1934 classic Laurel and Hardy offering right up to a 1986 television movie starring a youthful Drew Barrymore and Keanu Reeves.

But now local residents will get the chance to see the first Uk stage production, a mere 106 years after its first airing.

The show will be guided by producer Al Clogston, a veteran of numerous American stage versions of the musical, who also takes on the role of Barnaby to boot.

With classic songs like Toyland, March of the Toys and I Can’t Do The Sum and an enthusiastic cast of adults and children, what better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to let the Wimbledon Light Opera transport you to a world of magic?

Babes in Toyland, Secombe Theatre, Sutton, November 19-22, 7.30pm, £8-£14.50, 020 8770 6990, suttontheatres.co.uk