Jack and the Beanstalk - review (From Wimbledon Guardian)

Jack and the Beanstalk - review

4:23pm Tuesday 15th December 2009

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Jack and the Beanstalk,Paul Robeson Theatre

From the first appearance of the Fairy in a flash of light, it’s clear that this is going to be a loud, vibrant, high energy telling of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Jack (a charming Spencer O’Brien) heads up the beanstalk to find his fortune, marry his sweetheart Jill (Catherine Gibson) and escape his fabulously gruesome mother, Dame Trot (Richard Albrecht).

Inventiveness abounds in this small-scale venue that would put larger budgets to shame. Daisy the Cow breaks hearts when sold for a handful of beans to the snivelling villain Grovel (Gerard Carey) and is taken off to be turned into a ‘cow pie’. The verbal ding-dong between O’Brien and Carey, the latter in disguise as Farmer Watt, is pure music hall. If only other pantomimes had sketches of this quality.

The first half sets up the characters and story with pace and aplomb, but it is the second half that really delivers a punch. The appearance of the Giant is a real treat as Grovel pleads for his life whilst singing Bohemian Rhapsody with his head on a plate.

Writer/Director Robin Davies gives a range of sparkling jokes, clever one-liners and some excellent sketch material. The pop and rock music score keeps adult and kids entertained, with jokes for both young and old. Lighting is effective and special-effects are used to advance and engage the audience. The script and direction is skilful and swift, without the self-indulgence many larger productions fall into with star names. Here, local and west-end talent work with a chorus of children from local schools to focus on delivering two hours of good old fashioned story-telling.

Having a glamorous fairy, Jessica Francis, to push the narrative along is a sound idea. Francis also doubles as choreographer and ensures the musical numbers have shape and vigour. This is a youthful, joyful pantomime, full of colour and comedy and looking lavish. Everyone in the audience joins in, thanks to a spirited cast. A must-see production.

Duncan Hobson

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