Jack & The Beanstalk

The buzz of excitement was very evident when I took my seat in the auditorium for SPADS’ production of Jack & The Beanstalk. Young and old, it didn’t matter, everyone was eager for the panto to begin. And what a beginning it was. A lively number from the hit musical Hairspray set the pace and the atmosphere for the rest of the performance.

I enjoyed Annabel Clarke’s Fairy Liquid – here we had a more modern take on tradition and I loved the use of the mobile phone – bare with….

The voice of Giant Thunderoar was solid and clear.  Movement, though limited was well controlled and he had the stature necessary to make the character intimidating.

Alan Reilly and Theresa Millar as the Duke and Duchess of Sunnymead commanded the stage well and as always made a reliable combination.

Peter Wright’s Dame, Petunia Trott, was extremely enjoyable. He had good interaction with the audience and the other characters.  His portrayal was funny and put me very much at ease. 

Ellie Stolen as Bo Peep and Noah Clarke as Simon both gave confidant performances that I very much enjoyed. 

Jordan Clarke gave a solid performance as Jack Trott. His stature and air of confidence was just right for the part and musical numbers were effortless and a pleasure to listen to.

I really appreciated Patrick Lohan’s portrayal of Tommy Tucker, but felt that he could have made more of the caricature he created.  The caricature was exactly right for the part, especially given the name of the character, but I wanted more!

Holly Stolen as Jill was well matched opposite Jack. Vocals were good and I could hear every word. Believe in yourself and stand tall as you have all the makings of a stunning principal girl. Just a little more confidence needed here, well done.

I enjoyed Joshua Clarke and Jacob Powell’s portrayal of Dizzy and Rascal immensely.  Here we had lots of energy and cheekiness that came across to the audience well.  The pace and delivery were excellent and the young audience near me thought they were “so silly” that says it all.

The animals were exceptional – when one is performing in a skin it is vital one is aware of the balance between times when one is on show and times when it is necessary to blend into the background. Everyone got this just right. Well done.

I was pleased to see a large chorus, full of talented performers, reacting well to the action. 

The show was colourful and lively, with a great many fun aspects that one comes to expect from a panto.

I really appreciated the traditional panto comedy/slapstick which this production contained.  I particularly noticed that from the start there were children in the audience who were belly-laughing at particular characters and scenes, which is always a lovely sound.

I enjoyed the variety of music in the show and overall the songs were performed competently. 

The UV element was well thought out and well executed, if a little short – I wanted more!

On the whole sound was good although there were a couple of occasions when dialogue was lost and lighting was well focused with no dead spots on the stage.

Altogether this was a great show, fully appreciated by your audience and I look forward to being invited again.

Thanking you once again for your hospitality,

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