Jack and the Beanstalk

Dec 11 2024 | By More

★★★★☆     Porty Pals

Portobello Town Hall: Fri 6 – Sun 29 Dec 2024
Review by Rebecca Mahar

What do you get when you combine an evil landlord and his devious henchwoman, a boy and his mother just trying to survive, and their faithful cow? Well a pantomime of course— what were you expecting?

Stage Door Entertainment brings a properly Porty-focused Jack and the Beanstalk to Portobello Town Hall this season. Directed by Lewis Baird and written and devised by Baird with the cast this runs Fridays to Sundays until December 29 – with extra dates on 23rd and Christmas Eve.

Cast members of Jack and the Beanstalk.

This telling of the famous tale places the Giant Grotty as landlord of Portobello, squeezing every penny out of the town’s inhabitants with the help of his sidekick, Rubella Fleshcreep. When Jack and his mother Dame Maggie can’t afford this month’s rent, they have to come up with a way to pay off Grotty, or face eviction— or could there be a way to get rid of Grotty once and for all?

Packed with parody versions of hits such as Don’t Stop Believin’, Espresso and Hot to Go, this showcases the vocal strength of the cast alongside their talent for patter and commitment to the piece. Once referred to in the show as “pound shop P!nk”, Nicola Alexander as Fleshcreep stands up to comparison, delivering powerhouse performances between loads of lip curling and cackles worthy of any cartoon villain.

exceptional range

Andrew Gardiner as Dame Maggie shows exceptional range — literally, from low growls to high falsettos, blazing through every number in true diva fashion to deliver a performance that can be described in two words: slay boots! Accompanying Dame Maggie’s numbers (and others, but they are especially her chorus of mini-divas) are a group of dancers comprised of local children.

The Youth Ensemble of Jack and the Beanstalk.

There’s a total of 48 youngsters in all, rotating through performances in groups of six. On the night of Æ’s visit the “Cast Presents” group were on and shone throughout. From the teens to the tiniest, they served both precision and face; executing Aidan O’Brien’s choreography with verve; and taking advantage of every opportunity to throw their individual characters into the mix.

Special mention must be given to the smallest (and assumedly youngest) dancers, who were placed up front in every formation and never faltered for a second.

Ollie Hiemann and Amy Campbell charm as Jack and his best friend (and secret crush) Jill, a wholesome duo intent on saving their town, and endearingly awkward when it comes to their feelings. The buffoon of the piece is Dame Maggie’s best pal Muddles, played with obtuseness and heart by Laurie Scott.

energy never flags

Leo MacNeill romps through the production as Daisy the Coo, physical work entirely uninhibited by the full body cow suit that is his costume. MacNeill’s energy never flags, whether he’s singing and dancing, throwing patter at the audience, or commenting on the antics of the rest of the characters (most of whom, of course, can’t speak Coo).

Cast members of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Harrison MacNeill, meanwhile, pulls double duty as the quick-tongued Madame Hattie Tattie and Giant Grotty himself, larger than life in both roles (though not as large as Grotty would wish). Rounding out the principal cast is Aidan O’Brien as Grotty’s golden goose, Priscilla, who manages to say multitudes through honks and squawks.

Jack and the Beanstalk manages to pack plenty of classic panto gags into an original story, devised for this time and place with plenty of nods and shoutouts to Portobello, creating a show that feels neither too long nor too short, well judged for both adults and children.

a stellar night out

There’s plenty to enjoy for young and old alike, too, including a few naughty jokes that will fly right over the weans’ heads. Between the story, patter, music, dance, and Laura Hawkins’ dynamic and colourful lighting, Jack and the Beanstalk is a stellar night out this panto season.

Running time: Two hours and 30 minutes (including one interval)
Portobello Town Hall, 147-149 Portobello High St. EH15 1AF
Friday 6 – Sunday 29 December 2024
Fri/Sat: 2pm & 7pm; Suns: 5pm; Mon 23/Tue 24: 2pm only.
Tickets and details: Book here.

ENDS

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  1. Danielle says:

    Just wanted to say thanks so much for the mention of the dancers in the porty Panto review. The girls are loving being up on that stage. Our wee girl was one of the front dancers on Saturday, she is buzzing with the mention! Makes all the hard work worth it ✨