Jack and the Beanstalk - The Rock’n’Roll Panto

Published Monday 17 December 2007 at 13:25 by Neil Bonner

This is a fantastic, funny, foot-tapping winner that kicks panto into the 21st century, yet without sacrificing its tradition.

All the magical elements and the usual characters are here, including an heroic Jack (Alex Tomkins) and an enormous beanstalk. The big difference is, the multi-talented cast members flit between their comic acting and singing duties and effortlessly assume their places in an on-stage rock band.

So we have Kit Orton, for instance, reverting to keyboards when he’s not scaring us as an excellent Fleshcreep. Similarly, Rosie Jenkins, who as well as being a fine singer, switches easily between playing brass in the band and comically narrating the story as Fairy Aubergine.

An appropriate use of pop and rock classics provides an extra, high-energy dimension to the traditional storybook tale and has the advantage of banishing those scene-changing low moments we’ve all suffered. What’s more, writers Peter Rowe and Alan Ellis provide a sparking script, containing almost none of the tired old groan-inducing panto jokes.

Stafford Borough Council, which has traditionally hired well-known names to headline its pantomimes, has taken an enormous gamble here, but the courageous move has paid off handsomely and is a winner with children and grown-ups alike.