Jack

AUDLEY PLAYERS THEATRE COMPANY

Presents

JACK

Tradition may have been important to Messrs Tevye and co., but for me Wintertime time has the best of British traditions - Pantomime. Audley Players production of Director/Writer Wendy Brough’s Jack was a much needed tonic from start to finish.

Prior to curtain up we had an over the P.A.  Boo and Hiss Test, a clever starter for ten, which generated much initial merriment amongst the packed audience.

Good fairy Flora - Sophie Jervis ushered us in to the crazy world inhabited by The Pots family. Rocker Jack Pot, Martyn Kerr; Bee-wildered Honey Pot, Rachel Hopkins; Blackbelt Pepper Pot, Chelsea Taylor; their moody teenage cow, Yoghurt Pot and of course man-eater Dame Beautice Pot, Martin Thomas.

Of course, this Potty filled plot requires a baddie - enter one giant, brilliantly projected onto the rear screen when required, voiced by Bryan Williams, his Hench people, the trumptastic Sprouts, Lynne Williamson and Levi Rhodes-McKenzie as nasty as their collective gaseous emissions.

To counter these fart-laden baddies, we have the S.P.U.D.S. an amusing acronym that I didn’t catch as I was laughing at the dialogue between Sargeant Crisp, Erin Gascoigne-Jones and Sargeant Chip, Anna Jones, with some lovely physical comedy with the SPUDS cadets, which usually ended up with Sgt Chip getting battered.   

As usual a great supporting cast from their seemingly inexhaustible youth section which grows in confidence and presence at every show.

Wendy Brough has created a really good fun filled take on the Jack and the Beanstalk story, witty humorous dialogue throughout, lots of great join in moments, the SPUDS warm up training work out session for the audience worked very well, bend two three four, punch two three four.

A quite brilliant collection of music, emphasising the more rockier end of the pop spectrum, was right up my street. The in-house technical staff, as usual highly efficient sound and lighting, the effectiveness of the projections especially during the Pots and SPUDS battle with the Giant was great to a rousing cheer

Out and out fun from start to finish, excellent script and show. Well done.

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