Pantomime season is upon us once more – in other words, it is time for loud audience participation and plenty of festive cheer. Buxton Opera House’s pantomime this year is Jack and the Beanstalk, a classic tale reimagined within the borders of ‘Buxtonia’. It is packed with laughter, song and dance, a hint of romance, and plenty of silliness. Buxton Opera House is already a magical venue, so it feels right to house a pantomime – the pinnacle of festive fun – under its roof.
The pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk has mostly always relied on three things: the fright of the giant, the endearing stupidity of Jack, and, of course, all those classic, reliable panto gags. Here, almost two-thirds of this trifecta are lacking slightly. The giant is not the main villain and is often forgotten about within the narrative - rendering his grand reveal significantly less climactic than it should have been - and Jack is definitely not silly enough. A lack of stupidity is an interesting criticism to have, but, nevertheless, in this context it is a criticism; we only think Jack is stupid because we are told that he is. He does not do a single foolish thing until that fateful moment when he sells his cow for some beans - a choice which, when preceded by similarly poor decisions, is traditionally part of a web of silly but endearing character traits. Here, the starkness of this choice becomes laughably and unforgivably stupid, out of character with the rest of his ordinary leading man characterisation.
Another change in the story serves to decrease the input of one of the most important players in this story: the titular character of the beanstalk. In this version, the magic beans are not given to Jack by the good fairy but by the villain, Mrs Blunderbore. The good fairy then conjures up the Golden Goose, who can lay golden eggs, allowing the Trot family to escape the dire straits of poverty. Jack’s ownership of the magic beans therefore becomes the afterthought of Act 1, when it should be critical and central to the story.
Well. All that being said – this reviewer is no Scrooge. Pantomimes always are enormous fun (that is, unless you do happen to be Scrooge), and this was no exception. A good pantomime’s strength lies in its ability to maintain a light-hearted and comedic tone throughout, with well-placed song and dance numbers scattered here and there. Paul Kerryson’s book stuck true to classic pantomime humour, with a smattering of ‘meta’ wit too. Ultimately, there is nothing quite like being in a theatre filled by the screams of people taking full advantage of the outlet of audience participation. It is a rite of passage for the festive period.
Talking of humour, James Holmes, as Dame Trot, was a real highlight. Holmes embodies everything you want in a pantomime dame: charm, exuberance, and an easy, quipping humour. For our villain (despite any qualms about the shifted focus), Catherine Pugh was excellent as Mrs Blunderbore – Pugh’s maniacal laugh was especially good. Toby Shellard as Jack and Ruby Hewitt as Princess Louise delivered some great vocal performances, although Princess Louise often lacked some purpose and characterisation in the script. But it was thanks to the entire cast - with their smiles, and their enthusiasm, and the lightness of their performances – that the spirit of pantomime was kept very much alive and thriving.
It is a new tradition (two years running) for this reviewer to visit Buxton at the beginning of December, to see its pantomime offering. From my – somewhat limited – experience, this year’s creation continues to hold strong as a festive piece of family-friendly entertainment. It is a real gift, full of joy and infectious laughter, and I hope to be back again next year. Jack and the Beanstalk is running at Buxton Opera House until the 1st January. For more information and tickets, click here.
★★★☆☆ (3*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
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