Jack and the Beanstalk

Would it even be the festive season without a Manor Operatic Society (MOS) Pantomime?   I think the answer can be found in the enthusiasm of the huge sell out audience who climb the steps of the City Hall each year.  Many of those watching may not fully appreciate that the show is performed by amateurs– in that the actors aren’t paid – because the scale and spectacle of the production has to be seen to be believed.  The huge and talented cast have some magical and creative material to work with and they ensure that the audience pleasing production is always powerful and spectacular. 

Taking the title role Dylan Lambert is a fun and friendly Jack who is sure to win over Princess Lily (Daisy Cook).  This pairing worked well together – looking, singing and dancing like the perfect panto principal boy and girl with an excellent duet ‘Without Love’.  Stuart Daniel Box was a lively and loveable Simon Trott who fully engaged the audience with his infectious fun and frolics.  Box had many of the funniest lines in the show and delivered them perfectly – a wonderfully silly Simon.  Providing more comedy were Callam Fellows and Emily McGeoch as Lily’s regal parents King Dandelion and Queen Thistle.  Great physicality from this duo who filled the stage with their hilarious personas. 

We were treated to a double dose of evil in this production with Emily Mae Hoyland as The Witch Weed and Chris Hanlon as Farcart.  Their dastardly deeds were on a large scale being both entertaining and frightening in equal measure.  Hoyland is a stunning witch with great vocals and a captivating presence on stage.  Hanlon made a very sinister baddie and found the perfect measure of evil for a pantomime which has to not be too frightening for the young audience members.  Katie Ann Dolling as the hapless Fairy Flower was simply full of humour with her repeated failures to hang up on ‘Shaz’ before entering the stage.  Dolling was an utter delight as the Fairy with a magical twinkle, wonderful facial and physical reactions and great interplay with others on stage.

Simon Hance gave an excellent performance as Dame Tilly Trott.  With wonderful costumes Hance was my sort of Panto Dame – a real ‘bloke in a frock’ with sharp one-liners, a caustic wit, but also the energy to fully bring the audience along in the baking scene, audience participation and the bucket game.  The comedy duo of Sam Symonds and Ben Rossiter as Sniff and Wiff was full of the most terrible toilet humour - they definitely belonged in the palace drains.  They ‘rode’ onto stage on strange puppet animals which they then ensured moved and reacted throughout.  I’ve no idea how they managed the puppets, the teeth and the prosthetics, but both did so with great aplomb. 

Giant Thundertrump was played by Leo Appleton and was indeed a huge monster – I can’t guess the dimensions of the costume, but this was incredibly well controlled.  Appleton also had strong vocals in his numbers with the minions.  Evie May Bradford and Megan Bridger played sweet Buttercup the Cow and strong performances were also given by Paige Benson as the lively Golden Hen and Jorjia Morris as the stunning Magic Harp.

With a script from Hands On Productions this show was tailored to suite the cast and the scale of the staging.  The panto opened with a bright warm welcome from the ensemble who showed great energy and enthusiasm for their roles being fully invested in ensuring the giant was overthrown.  The talented cast are excellently supported by a ten-piece band and the work of Musical Director Andy Collis, along with Assistant MD, Michael Woodward, is shown through the numerous production numbers all of which are to a very high standard.  There is a mix of musical styles with old favourites, more recent chart hits and musical theatre numbers all included.

As always the vital ingredients for a Manor panto were there.  The dough, the bucket game and the audience participation song ‘Tiddly Winky Woo’ provide the audience with reassurance that in a fast paced and at times frightening world Manor panto can be relied upon to deliver just what the audience wants.  As well as the fantastic spectacle, on the huge stage in a vast auditorium, the engagement with the audience is present at all times and rather than these staples of a Manor Panto peeling over done the anticipation in the audience is tangible and the audience sing and join in as though they were the ones on stage.

Local references fill the narrative – often building on the rivalry between City’s two football teams.  The show was full-on with high-energy performances from the cast which carried the audience up the beanstalk and to a world of fantasy including a wonderful UV scene.  It’s the first time I’ve seen a stop halfway up the beanstalk, but the little boy sat near me loved the dinosaurs so I’m all for creativity if it makes people happy.  There really is something for everyone in this production and the delight on the faces of the audience as they leave the stunning venue proves that.  Whilst the spectacle is something to behold the image that will stay with me is of a small group of children who danced and sung their way through the show at the foot of the stage steps – their excitement and pleasure resonated with everyone who could see them – thank you MOS for creating such wonder.

Congratulations to Producer /Director Richard Bradford and Director/Choreographer Linda Kelly for giving the audiences something different whilst holding onto what the community love.  Well done to all the Production Team, Cast and Crew for providing another excellent panto season to delight the capacity audiences.

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