Pantomimes seem to be almost as much a part of the Easter season now as does Christmas and with a lot of productions on offer, the bar has been raised accordingly. This production of old favourite ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ by Fortina Stone was at first glance very traditional in both story, staging and characters but it had some interesting elements that made it quite a bit different.
An enthusiastic cast of seven were supported by a four-strong dance troupe, all of whom kept up a sprightly pace through tight direction by Laura Newnes. The flows between music and speech were flawless and no blackouts for scene changes, with a colourful front screen whisked across stage as required. The staging (as for most pantos) comprised of rows of gayly painted side flats and back screens but with some interesting additions; a case in point being the light-encrusted sky in the giant’s kingdom which was very effective.
The presentation of the giant was also very good (without giving any spoilers). Darren John Langford as the villain Fleshcreep demonstrated an almost Freddy Mercury-like power over the audience, singing prolonged, increasingly difficult notes which the audience then had to copy. Lewis Pryor and Ellie Clayton made a charming Jack & Jill, regularly sparring off each other and Justine Langford was amusing as Fairy Fertile. Michael Baily as Silly Scott essentially provided a vehicle through which the kids could identify and Neil Macdonald provided balance as the older Squire Pegg. So, with sprightly performances and Fortina Scone’s script ticking all the usual boxes (including some very adult jokes), what made this production seem a bit different?
Firstly, unlike the vast majority of pantos (save a few minor exceptions), the show had a completely original score, written by E & F Music, Samuel Ferry & Daniel Ellenbery. More than that, a lot of the songs, drawing on various rock and pop influences, were very catchy. A rock duet between Fleshcreep and Fairy Fertile had echoes of the kind of two-handers Meatloaf was famous for in the 70’s and 80’s and another two-handed song between Fleshcreep and Jack actually progressed the plot; something very rare in any panto! Various other songs were ensemble pieces and ample use was made of the dance troupe with virtually every number. When so many pantos rely on snippets or pale imitations of popular songs from past decades, usually with little or no relevance to the story, it was genuinely refreshing to hear a quality, fresh set of songs sung with gusto and performed as a spectacle with dancers.
The other standout element of this show was the dancing. Again, whereas so many pantos rely on fairly predictable dance routines, often with two sets of girls of different ages, this production had a small ensemble of two men and two women, captained by accomplished prodigy Eleiyah Navis. The dancing was tightly choregraphed using a variety of movements from both rock and ballet and genuinely complimented the songs, often sexy but never erotic. The dancers wore the best part of ten completely different outfits, ranging (on the female side) from the long dresses of the villages to captivating leotards with flowing appendages, with each costume change clearly designed to fit the mood of the respective song. Again, this was something quite rare in a pantomime, where stock dance routines are usually deemed sufficient.
This was a very lively show performed with enthusiasm, which was rewarded by a very engaged and appreciative audience. It was also an object lesson in how quality dancing and good, new music can really raise a show.
https://gladstonetheatre.org.uk/#whatson
‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ is on until the 12th April.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
On - 10.04.26
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