Jack and the Beanstalk

What a pleasure to return to Fladbury Village Hall for the Players’ annual pantomime, which this year was Jack and the Beanstalk, directed by Rob Brown.  There was a warm welcome (thanks for the shout out!) and a great atmosphere in the Hall – it was clear that this is an event staged by and for the local community, and one that was greatly enjoyed by old and young alike.

The story of Jack and the Beanstalk is of course a familiar one, and all the expected elements were present and correct, as Jack sells the Trott family cow, Daisy, in exchange for some beans which then magically grow to provide a way up to the nasty Giant’s castle.  There were a few departures from tradition in this version, which saw the Giant responsible for the plight of Jack’s family, and also had Jack being tricked into selling Daisy for beans (rather than foolishly doing so).  

Connor Holman made a suitably heroic Jack, enjoying a sweet romance with the Squire’s daughter Jill, played in winsome style by Scarlett Wheeler.  I particularly liked their charming little waltz as the Squire (Keith Holman) sang about his love for his daughter.  Steve Cook had lots of fun as Jack’s brother, Simple Simon, providing some great comic moments and encouraging us all to warn him to ‘think about it, Simon’ as he rushed headlong into trouble!  Their mother, Dame Trott, was played in classical panto style by Rob Brown, who executed the role to perfection (and sported a fantastic succession of costumes).  James Woodward and Gosia Michalak were spot on as Daisy the cow – this is not an easy role to play and they hit their marks throughout.  The milking scene with Simon was a particular highlight.  Well done!

Turning to the supernatural folk, Lisa Cole channelled Charlie Dimmock as Fairy Green Bean, complete with corn-cob wand, and Sue Perry garnered plenty of boos as her opposite number Slime, the Giant’s henchwoman.  Up in the cloud castle, Izzy Smith impressed with her singing and guitar playing as Harriet, the Giant’s captive.  A word too for Skye Turner, who was brilliant as a particularly ferocious dragon!  Finally, the Giant’s voice (Andy Canning) was suitably booming and very well timed to keep up the pace of the show. 

Supporting the main cast were a fantastic chorus of adults and children.  Of course, the kids chorus stole the show, but the grown-ups did a great job too.  They all sang and danced their way through a series of charming songs, with well thought-out choreography (well done to Issy Brotherton) that was well delivered.  Perhaps it’s just because it’s on the telly at the moment, but I thought some of the dances had a bit of a Strictly feel to them – it’s a 10 from me!  My one small gripe is that the music, although well performed, was a little loud, so it was difficult to hear the chorus (and sometimes the principals) singing, even from my vantage point on the front row.

There were some nice traditional elements in the staging, with flats at the sides that were brightly decorated in true panto style.  I liked the little doorway in one of them, leading into the Trott’s house, which was nicely skew-whiff yet still opened and closed perfectly.  And the all-important beanstalk rose to the occasion on cue – well done to the backstage team.

There was also some good costume work on display – I particularly liked the little touches like the pastel-coloured underskirts for the chorus.  And Daisy the cow was fabulously realised – a great big Friesian complete with horns and an impressive dangling udder! 

In conclusion, Fladbury Players delivered a pantomime that was full of traditional fun, laughter and audience participation.  Everything that you might hope for in a panto was present and correct, and presented with energy and enthusiasm.  Congratulations to the whole Society, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.