Partial To A Bit Of Panto- Oh No You're Not.. Oh Yes I am..

You can't feel truly Christmassy without watching a Panto. A friend of mine was in the ensemble of this production, could have been a bit tense had I not liked it but luckily I enjoyed it and was even able to give her a well deserved namecheck! Also free mince pies and mulled wine went down a treat, other press nights take note! 

A cow sold at market, some magic beans and a giant beanstalk. You don’t have to be a detective to deduce that the Lyric Hammersmith’s pantomime offering this year is Jack and the Beanstalk. Writer Tom Wells’s interpretation of this well-known classic for the most part stays true to the traditional tale; however, it is cleverly peppered with references to the surrounding postcode of W6. A female Jack (Rochelle Rose) is tasked with defeating Nostril the Snot Giant, who has evilly robbed the borough of the colour green and of all festive merriment. In short, if Jack fails, ‘Hammersmithmas’ will be ruined! 

Regular frequenters of the Lyric’s pantomime will no doubt recognise narrator Steven Webb, as this is the fourth consecutive year that he has reprised the role. Webb’s guise this year is as Jack’s best friend Sprout, a playfully bouncy character who has aspirations of being a florist. As Sprout, Webb commands the stage with charismatic ease, particularly when engaging with the crowd in a spot of audience participation. Sprout’s energetic interjections throughout the show act as the glue holding the entire piece together. 

Accompanied by an electrifying live band, we are treated to renditions of many chart-topping artists such as One Direction, Taylor Swift and Adele, to name but a few. I was struck by the impressive level of singing talent within the cast, and without exception they should all be congratulated on their ability to convey character through song. Richard Howell’s vibrant lighting design, coupled with the abundance of gaudy colours and sparkles, result in this production being a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Visually, I found that the titular beanstalk is the pièce de résistance. Not only does it grow to a great height, but the articulated branches unexpectedly sprout from various parts of the set. The astonished gasps of the little people beside me, as they excitedly pointed out to their parents which parts of the beanstalk they had spotted, is testament to just how magical an end to the first act this is. 

The most noticeable departure from the classic tale is Wells’s choice to have three baddies within the piece. Alongside the traditional giant, the villainous Mr Flashcreep (Nigel Richards) and a street dancing urban fox (Emily Aitcheson) are also present. The decision to divide the archetypal role of the villain is an interesting one, and it did mean that the audience at first were unsure who exactly to direct their boos and hisses at. However, after some gentle prompting, the intended jeers at all three soon ensued. That said, Wells’s clear understanding of the classical conventions of pantomime is apparent from the way in which he adheres to most, and pokes fun at others. Wells skilfully avoids the common pitfall of groan-worthy jokes by including some great modern references – the joke about the hare from the recent John Lewis advert still makes me chuckle just thinking about it. 

For many, the family tradition of going to see a pantomime at Christmas is often a young child’s first exposure to the magical world of the theatre. The Lyric’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk is silly, bursting with puns and high-octane performances. This majestic production is everything young and old audience members alike would hope to see in a family friendly pantomime.