At this time of year, no can say there is a shortage of pantomimes on offer and whilst there may be only seven or eight basic stories across the entire genre, the presentation and style can vary hugely, from the utterly predictable to the quirky that thinks outside the box. This year’s Anton Benson production, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ made no attempt to re-invent the wheel but did include a number of amusing and original features.
There no doubling up for the cast of six who were aided by two dance troupes of eight and four girls (appearing to represent junior and high schools respectively). The constant pace ensured that the cast had to work hard with there rarely being less than four on stage at any one time but the result was a pacey show which never slacked, with smooth transitions between scenes and the audience carried along in an enjoyable romp. The costumes were bright and cheerful and some thought had clearly gone into getting the right look for each character. There were few props but what there were was made good use of, with the emphasis being on performance, with fast-flowing interactions between the cast.
It was pleasing to see that whilst the overall feel was certainly that of a traditional pantomime, there was minimal regurgitation of the stock scenes which tend to get over-used, an example being the ghost-tapping-people-on the shoulder sketch, which was mercifully absent. Instead, the familiar story was told with mostly original ideas (an exception being a cookery sketch, which is rather cliched). A scene involving a large lavatory was very funny and with loo rolls being thrown at the audience, the show could literally be said to be toilet-humour whilst still being suitable for children. Another very funny scene had the entire cast singing the Twelve Days of Christmas. Yes, this gets done a lot but in this panto the song was performed hilariously with the audience really involved and clearly loving every minute of it.
Many smaller pantomime productions rely heavily on backcloths for sets but the Oak Theatre has a huge video screen that must be in excess of 18m in width (virtually the entire width of the stage). This was used to great effect with various back images having a cartoonish dayglo effect, enhancing the feeling that this was indeed pantomime. Another technological feature was an excellent sound system ensuring all the vocals were crystal-clear and perfectly balanced to the music. The Oak Theatre benefits from having a quite a large performance area but the 200 or so raked-seat auditorium ensures a sense of intimacy whilst providing the full experience of going to the theatre. This was taken advantage of by the cast, in particular the two female members, who used facial expressions almost as much as speech to express themselves in a way that would be lost in a large theatre.
DG Foster had stepped in at very short notice as the Dame due to cast illness and appeared remarkably relaxed and in control, often joking to great effect about not having had much time to learn his lines. Danny Childs played Jack as a funny hapless character in love with the elusive Princess Jill, stylishly played by Suzanne Fulton. Mary Shanker was very amusing as the fairy, frequently making un-fairylike gurning facial expressions with Michael Lawless giving regal presence as the gold-loving King Bling. It is often only when you saw stars from Coronation Street away from Coronation Street that you learn whether or not they act and in the case of Calum Lill, the answer is a positive yes, turning in a great performance of the villainous Fleshcreep. All the cast were clearly enjoying themselves throughout the show and the audience were thoroughly entertained. A great, fun night for everyone, both young and old.
‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ is on until 24th December.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
On - 13.12.25
No comments:
Post a Comment