Jack and the Beanstalk

Synopsis

Jack, a dim boy, sells the family's cow, their last remaining possession, for some 'magic beans', his mother is furious and throws them out of the window. Next morning there is a magic beanstalk, which Jack climbs to the land of the giant. There he rescues the love interest, and the goose that lays the golden eggs and runs away as the giant returns booming 'fee, fie, foe, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!' and occasionally 'Be he alive or be he dead I'll grind his bones to make my bread' depending on how bloodthirsty the panto is! As the giant follows Jack down the beanstalk Jack grabs an axe and chops it down thus killing the him.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 30 November 2009

Although it’s noisy and eager to please, the Lyric’s first traditional pantomime in thirty years isn’t really traditional at all, aiming to give an urban edginess to a fairy story, and confusing blunderbuss local name checks with true community spirit.

Four writers are credited in Steve Marmion’s production: Richard Bean, Joel Horwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Che Walker, but beyond a laborious scene in the giant’s marshmallow factory, the story is sloppily told and there’s little sign of anything distinctive in the writing.

Unless you count the troubling information that Jack’s mum, Wendy Windsor, who exchanges British flag fig for a pink shell suit, took part in Adolf Hitler’s Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936. Martyn Ellis’ dame – who is competent, vocally tremendous and much more Christopher Biggins than John Inman – then appears as only the second lady beefeater at the Tower, though nothing is made of the recent discomfiture of the first.

Panto’s part...

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Latest User Review

Rob - 30 November 2009:

There's not much difference in the dames of Christopher Biggins and John Inman - Martyn Ellis didn't perform as either (and did a pretty much good, if occasionaly uncomfortably blue job). The story was hindered by the attempt to be beyond traditional and do away with elements that aid the story, such as a fairy and pathos. However, the energy was superb. The use of the cow as the comic was inspired and very effective (not confusing, as the reviewer might suggest) and the giant was THE best I have ever seen. It is fantastic to see a theatre try and reinvent a genre rather than relying on a structure that already exists, for success. However, a little more confidence in tradition might have improved the production and scaled down the necessity for references to Hammersmith....

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