Jack and the Beanstalk
Written and directed by Adam Penford
Nottingham Playhouse
Star rating: 3
A dependable, well crafted, family panto with plenty of local jokes, Adam Penford’s take on Jack and the Beanstalk is unpretentiously pleasing.
One of its strengths is the music played by the four piece live band, led by MD, John Morton. It ranges across a whole parade of genres including music hall, rap, film, football chants and a lot more with neat – just a few bars for copyright reasons – references to shows such as Les Miserables. And it’s all adeptly delivered.
On stage we get an ensemble of six (two alternating teams), nimble footed, juveniles fully used in most scenes which is a refreshing change from the usual group of smiley, samey dance-trained adults. Choreographer, Rosanna Bates has done a fine job.
Amongst the principals, Tom Hopcroft is a show stealer as Fleshcreep. Not only does he cackle and gloat to the manner born but he sings beautifully, not necessarily something one associates with this role. And Jewelle Hutchinson delights as Jill – prettily appealing but also very feisty. She shines through both her singing and movement work.
John Elkington, a dame veteran at Nottingham Playhouse, gives the audience what they’ve come to see: outrageous costumes (by Cleo Pettitt), silliness, a hint of vulnerability, coy predictability and notable clarity of diction in songs.
I saw this show at a weekday matinee in an auditorium full of school parties buzzing with noisy excitement and the kindness and bonhomie between children of all abilities which I’ve come to associate with Nottingham – one of the reasons I’m prepared to make the journey.
However, primary school children do not, on the whole “get” puns so it might make sense to drop some of them at matinees, although – as Roald Dahl once observed – “knickers” always gets a laugh. Personally, moreover, I could do without the spitting and farting which I’m not sure most of the children present cared for either.
I shall long remember the giant in this show. Initially he was the usual wobbling upstage horror – one eyed and voiced by Ian McKellen. Then after his fall, we got just a massive stage right hard with the fingers moving and Jack imprisoned beneath it, which was actually quite creepy.
Photography by Pamela Raith
