There comes a time when the festivities begin and, as well as seeing decorations and indoor trees starting to appear and ‘Seasonal’ aisles are displayed in shops, but...it is also then the time to consider how to make the start of the festive period and then which pantomime to go and see. Why not pick a happy place, like Oldham, and the town’s residents’ happy place: the Coliseum! This year Jack And The Beanstalk is the choice on offer here and what a gem it is! (as sparkly as a magic bean, or five!)
Led by the celebrity star Sam Glen (who can be recognised from BBC and Gary Barlow’s talent show ‘Let It Shine’, as well as having - as many of the cast have - performed at the theatre before, in ‘The Kitchen Sink’ and ‘Star-Cross’d’) who is great in the role of Jack, this ticks all the boxes (well, as many as it can, being the story that it is) and is a joy to attend/watch. There are no faults (other than the single sound issue that I am sure the team noticed); from the choreography, to the script and the music. The costumes are on point, the humour is balanced, the songs are well-placed with good variety. Even the backdrops and set is impressive but holds clever wit. Well done to Fine Time Fontayne and Chris Lawson’s team, and designer Celia Perkins, for their hard work and success and the cast and production team for theirs.
But...it wouldn’t be a review if I didn’t mention the cast individually, despite them being of equally high standard.
With the well-publicised change from his traditional comedy slot, Richard J Fletcher takes on the persona of - Latic fanatic - Dame Dotty Trott, Jack’s mother and is a scream! In a sense, he holds the show together - not that it needs it or that there isn’t a plot - with natural likeability and tongue-in-cheek humour and timing. Where there is Jack there must be Jill and this comes in the form of Shorelle Hepkin who compliments Glen well, in voice and character. There is just great chemistry, as there is with Jack and his mother, and his mother and Jill’s father, Lord Thickpenny Grabbmuch, played by Patrick Bridgman, who is assisted by Butler/right-hand woman (Sophie Mercell)
Grotton.
Jenny Platt plays narrator, Good Fairy, Eartha Greenfield - guardian angel of Oldham panto - and her sister, childcatcher-esque “Manky Mavis” Moorside (two of many more local references) who is married to Giant, Malcolm (played by Mitesh Soni - who I last saw in Library Theatre Company’s Arabian Nights at The Lowry’s Quays Theatre in 2012) who’s actor doubles up as Hazy the Hippy Cow (the ‘udder’ kind; dairy free), complete with inspirational, planet-improving advice - that’s where the theatre’s education department came into their own, as well as the moral of being who you are and supporting your friends and family through struggle, not to mention the plot that makes them re-evaluate their time spent on the luxuries of technological gadgets and devices. Well done indeed!
With such power and talent of the 3-piece band (MD Dave Bintley on Keys, Paul Allen on Drums and Nathan Welch on Bass), the soundtrack included ‘Giants In The Sky’ from Stephen Sondheim’s mammoth musical (later a film), Into The Woods. (this was a very ambitious decision as it had such pace and, in my opinion, did not have as much impact as it could have done, being so wordy, albeit well-placed), ‘Together Wherever We Go’ from the musical Gypsy, (Calvin Harris & Rag'n'Bone Man’s) ‘(I Am) Giant’, (Stevie Wonder ft. Ariana Grande) ‘(I Got) Faith’, Body Rockers’ I Like The Way You Moo(ve)’, Madness’ medley of ‘Our House/House of Fun’, ‘I Just Got Paid’ (Sigala, Ella Eyre and Meghan Trainor ft French Montana), ‘Higher Love’ (Steve Winwood/Kygo and Whitney Houston), Shawn Mendes’ ‘If I Can't Have You’, Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber’s ‘I Don't Care’, Dua Lipa’s ‘Hotter Than Hell’, Ava Max’s ‘Sweet But Psycho’, Todrick’s ‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’, ‘Ghostbusters’‘ and ‘I Hate People’ (I suspect, from Scrooge the Musical). Star dance numbers, featuring local talent, choreographed by Beverley Norris-Edmunds, included ‘Me Ol’ Bamboo’ from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and ‘Shout Out To My Egg/Ex’ and the nicely blocked fight sequence by Kaitlin Howard.
With Mavis’ Bruce Forsyth catchphrases, among the usual panto gags was my all-time favourite (the Who/What/I Don’t Know/Why cottage families) and the audience participation was electric, not least in the pre-run competition on Twitter where Em Stott won with her pre-show no phones message. It really is a brilliant show and should not be missed (some people came all the way from Altrincham tonight!). It runs until 11th January so you have no excuse.
Reviewer - John Kristof
on - 16/11/19
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