Buttercup with Nathan Blyth as Billy Trott and James Hastings as his brother Jack

Jack and the Beanstalk

The Swan Theatre, Worcester

*****

A full audience for the first evening performance of Jack and the Beanstalk enjoyed an excellent evening of traditional pantomime fun and frivolity. This production was full of colour, energy, pace and humour – this was great entertainment for the whole family!

The old fairy tale of Jack Trott and his family – brother Billy and mother Trott - portrays their poverty, their need to part from and sell their beloved cow, Buttercup, to meet the cost of living crisis and inflated taxes in Worcester on the Mould. Jack meets the pantomime villain, Fleshcreep, on his way to market and is cheated by his magical powers. Where would we be without the magic of the good Fairy Stringbean to rescue them all?

The music and singing was excellent with one or two popular songs which got the audience joining in. The dancers, the four professionals and the eight ‘Juvenile Dancers’ were excellent and they were costumed very well with impressive scenes in black, or white, or blue, or whatever, strikingly designed and effective.

The use of lighting and special effects worked well and the scenery and projections provided the perfect context for the cast to deliver a fast-moving and enjoyable story. Aimée Cupper as Jill was composed and charming, her voice is very good and she was well matched to James Hastings as Jack who likewise has a great voice. Jack’s brother Billy is played by Nathan Blyth and is the audience favourite with his cheeky lines and joker role.

Darren Fleshcreep is played by Darryn Watkins  who was first-class: he achieves the villainous part with appropriate menace and a strong voice without being intimidating to the younger members of the audience. He was very well balanced by Terrelle Kay , as Fairy Stringbean, and her choreography for all the dancers was brilliant.

Ian Good was an outstanding Dame Dotty and combined the role with the overall direction. He deserves great credit for an excellent production with all the elements combining for an evening that is to be recommended for all the family to enjoy a pantomime that ticked all the usual boxes, delivered the conventional elements with typical jokes and humour. A lovely production with plenty of audience interaction that runs to 07-01-24.

Tim Crow

08-12-23 

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