Review of Jack and the Beanstalk at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

Panto season is back, and much as it often pains a scared reviewer, it is my duty to venture into the screaming pit of children, bad puns, water fights and blokes dressed as women, and give you the lowdown on what pantos you should see and oh what you shouldn't.

I haven't seen a big professional theatre panto since 2019, due to "events", and my return saw also my first encounter here with whom I understand are panto greats, Evolution Productions, and their new version of Jack and the Beanstalk. My previous panto world at Royal & Derngate had consisted of Qdos Entertainment pantos, and for the best part, well, they were a little bit poor. So, can these big guns provide better?

My routine quick answer is an absolute yes. This is a cracking show and a wonderful evening (or afternoon) of entertainment. Written by Paul Hendy, it is a sharp, modern reworking of the classic tale, complete with an up-to-date angle on the baddie at the top of the beanstalk and the nefarious deeds the baddie is planning. This is a 2022 panto with heavy morals, but no loss of childish entertainment.

Providing much of that entertainment is Bob Golding, now the staple bloke who wears a dress in the Derngate in December apparently. It is the first time I have seen him, and he is a brilliant performer, simply made for panto. He has an ease with the audience, including his targetted victim for this show, Adam, and brilliant timing and mannerisms. When we see him getting soaked continually as part of the plot, the audience screams with delight and joy, and when he becomes Elton John, the audience howls with laughter. If it wasn't for another performer, he would be the star of the show.

However, stealing the show, scene, scenery, and anything else not tied down is Richard David-Caine as the greatest of panto baddies, Luke Backinanger. He delivers everything with a twinkle in his eye and you cannot help but love him. The boos from the audience, as he even comments at one point, don't know whether they really want to be happening. He is just too much fun to be a hated baddie, just superb.

Our trio of young adventurers are all brilliantly larger than life as expected. Billy is jolly and sprightly in the hands of Ben Thorton, Jess is a strong and modern woman in the hands of Cara Dudgeon, and the titular Jack, performed by Alex Lodge, is an unsure character, a little scared by his responsibilities, but rising to them all the same. The three work excellently together and bring much fun to the show.

Finally, we have the performer many of the audience will be there to see, Keala Settle, of The Greatest Showman fame, and well, it is a little extraordinary to see her in the role of Fairy Sugarsnap, but she embraces the whole thing with no hint of bewilderment of how she actually ended up here. As expected, she belts out her vocal performances, but, for whatever reason, the show fails to capitalise on the star they have. She has no big, long solo number, and there is no bold finale piece as you might expect. She does nothing wrong, but the show fails to use her as I suspect many fans will expect.

The show itself is a pretty much perfect collection of panto staples, leaving the usual cries from the audience, and has a surprisingly brilliant collection of musical numbers and influences going on. I never expected two numbers from Hair and an Eminem song to appear in the same panto for instance. Musical fans will also notice a number of other heavy influences during the show.

There are some quirky moments, the dog scene, which will delight many, and is a high "aww" factor, is a little too quirky to work perfectly, although the panto puns flow here especially, to allow the show to reach its required pun quota. The use of a drone for a bit of Dame Trott romance is inspired, although Adam ("the first man"), the eventual target may not have felt the same. However, by the skin of his teeth and the parting of just three seats, your reviewer here very nearly became the victim. A close call.

There are a few issues with sound with the fabulous three-piece band occasionally just too loud for their own good and drowning out lyrics and dialogue. Once again, a show not getting the levels right is a constant disappointment. We know it can be done right, but, here, once again it isn't, disappointing. The set, from the trio of Morgan Brind, Michelle Marden, and Stuart Relpg is, however, a delight, all bold and big colours. In actual fact so are the costumes from a quartet of creative members (Helga Wood, Ella Haines, Amy Chamberlain, and Mike Coltman), with the very best, and most bizarre, donned by Dame Trott her/himself.

Jack and the Beanstalk is brilliant entertainment. The best of the pantos I have seen at the Royal & Derngate and nicely deviates away from the vulgarness hidden in the jokes of many a show and creates more intellectual and topical fair for the adults to love, and the children to miss. The show comes without question recommended and you are assured of a brilliant piece of entertainment. No matter how much some of us resist it, we all need a bit of panto in our lives. Do not miss it!

Fabulously entertaining panto action. Cheer the baddie!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Sunday 11th December 2022 at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton.

Jack and the Beanstalk runs at Royal & Derngate until Monday 2nd January 2023.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate and to book tickets see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Production photos: Pamela Raith