Jach and Beanstalk

Peter Bailey why or why have you been hiding your directorial talent for so long? You have brought a new freshness to Medway Pantomimes. You took this " Jack and the Beanstalk” to wonderful new heights. You chose the best cast I have seen in a pantomime for years. Grant Baker as your Dame took his camp Dame (on a par with such greats as Christopher Biggins or our local Paul Harris) and made it his Dameship of which is now set. Jack (Lewis Mathews) and Simon(Cleopatra Hermans-Davis) had such a lot of stage presence for persons so young, Lewis’s voice rang out so clear along with Cleopatra’s strong acting this pair were perfect. I hate to think what these young persons will be like in years to come.One good fairy and one bad Witch Hannah Bradley and Debbie Brennan bounced off one another, looking fabulous, and getting the audience to boo at Debbie, and she was equally bad back, now that takes acting. Hannah with the softer role was equally, a match for Debbie. Well-done girls.Rancid oh rancid (John Edicott) this part needed an actor of Johns standing to carry this part off, grotty,smelly,and ugly, and he did this in an amazing characterization, made one believe he was like that off stage.. Great!! So much so I heard a women behind me say “Horrible Man”. Chole Smith as Princess was a delight to watch, singing and acting her role very with sincerity, and when teamed with Lewis they were the perfect love match.Comedy of the night was in the capable hands of Snatchet (Lee Round) and Scarper (Jeni Brownsill) making us titter when ever they were on stage, nice character Lee made of the thick Snatchet, and they were teamed well.Other smaller parts were expertly played by..King (Larry Davis)Queen (Laura Dee),Humphey(Gerald Flanagan), and Buttermilk (Jayne Stuart and Claire Read) maneuvered the cow on and off with great aplomb…and Nick Smiths voice bellowed out as the Giant.Peter your chorus were directed to a professional standard and they all looked as if they were enjoying themselves ,the Musical direction also by yourself was up to its usual professional standard. But in one scene when I think Glen Atkinson was singing I would have liked him to have been brought forward, we the audience wouldn’t have know it was him…I did though, a great voice.Daniel Stockings Stage management was slick and it moved along at a great pace.Costumes (Jo Kimber and Julie Smith) were stupendous this year, colorful as always, this made this Jack and the Beanstalk a beautifully directed, and Choreographed by (Helen Vandersteen) it was an EGG-citing piece of Pantomime.Please Peter Bailey do not leave it to long before you direct again, you have a talent for it.Thank you GDS for an EGG-static afternoon and evenings EGG-tainment.

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