Jack and the Beanstalk

In a recent survey it was found that the most popular and most performed pantomimes are: "Cinderella", followed by "Aladdin", "Dick Whittington”, "Snow White” and "Jack and the Beanstalk", which was this year’s offering from The Over Players.

The ten principals (I am counting Daisy as two here but not the giant as he was voice only!) were all very proficient with several fine performances.  Although the main characters in the story, Jack Trott and Jill (Kirsty Smillie and Stephanie Swan) didn’t really get much stage time but what they did get they made the most of. Both have great voices, particularly Jill, and I enjoyed their performances.  

Jamie Tipple as the Giant’s henchman Fleshcreep was suitably nasty and managed some good interaction with the audience.  He was also given the opportunity to show what a good voice he has. Although Jane Beresford as Fairy Moonbeam looked very pretty I felt her delivery was too measured.  I would liked to have heard more inflection and animation in her approach to the role.  Being the back end of a cow is probably never a good thing to put on your CV: nevertheless it must be a really hard job and not as easy as it was made to look by Rose Beresford and her friend at the front, Martha Peterson.

Dame Dottie Trott (Andrew Jordan) was suitably dotty and worked really well with both King Maurice and especially Matt Sweeney as Billy Trott who was “my favourite”.  He is an actor who really knows how to work an audience and we enjoyed a wonderfully comedic performance.  Leslie Wheeler as King Maurice was more vague than regal but I think that worked fine - he has a good voice too.  Oliver Hockin as Grabbit the King’s rent collector worked hard but his character was not really very well defined: please note that is in the writing and is not a criticism of the performance which was good.  It was just difficult to make up one’s mind as to whether he was a baddie or a goodie. 

There were some good solo singers amongst the principals and the contribution from the chorus, an all important part of any pantomime, was splendid.  Chorus work under Choreographer Maria Marshall and Musical Director Mike Bernard was well up to TOPS high standard with the music provided by some very talented musicians.

On the technical side set designs were great and augmented by some first-class artwork.  It is amazing what TOPS achieve on their small stage.  Lighting and Sound were a bit out of kilter once or twice but these things happen in live performances.  The costume team, as always, had done a first-class job.  Everything was very colourful and suitable for each character.  

This was a sterling effort by first time panto director Alex Turpin and everyone involved with the production. There was plenty of uninhibited audience participation which is a sure sign of a good panto.

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