The Bench
Returns!
Jack and the Beanstalk
Whitley Bay Playhouse
Until Saturday 4th January 2020
Comic Steve Walls and panto dame Daniel Mawston return for
their annual panto at the theatre on the coast. This isn’t business as usual,
as the established panto has had an overhaul, and the changes are all positive. The end result is a perfect family friendly
panto in which the adults will laugh as much as the kids.
Happyvale has a problem, up in the clouds is a giant that
is causing havoc. Through his henchman Fleshcreep (Guy Mott) he is able to
terrorise the people below. The people need a hero and Jack Trott (Harry Downes)
is the person for the job, especially after King Crumble (David Burton) offered
the opportunity to marry his daughter Princess Jill (Molly Scott).
The show’s action frequently centres around Jack’s brother
Simple Simon as Steve Walls enjoys his tenth year at the Playhouse. His stage
mother, Dame Patsy Trott, is building a successful panto partnership as the
characters work well on stage together. The third source of humour on stage
comes in the shape of the return of Damien Patton as Fleshcreep’s sidekick
Oddball. Comic timing from these three
actors, and a healthy helping of jokes at regular intervals, means that the
audience have plenty to laugh at.
This is probably to note a change in direction for the
Playhouse panto. In past years this show has been very safe for very young
children. The engaging Steve Walls enrolling them into his gang and humour
running very much at a Cbeebies level. This year there are jokes for the adults
in the room too. No worries, this is still a safe panto to take your young
children to but there will be the occasional line that flies over their head
and have the adults laughing.
And the other change? I swear they have finally fixed the
sound issues too! Perhaps that was just my old age, but the previous couple of
years have been let down by unclear sound – not this year.
This panto crams many of the panto staples into its 2 hour,
plus interval, running time. A crazy messy scene, songs featuring lively performances
from the professional dancers and “panto babes”, a bad guy to boo at, community
singing and even a Spice Girls mega-mix to get you on your feet at the end. Of
course the panto features a take-off scene, with that bench, which has the kids
screaming at the tops of their voices “it’s behind you!”
There is also a fairy. Except this fairy is Fairy Liquid,
performed by Ashleigh Butler, who shot to fame in Britain’s Got Talent, with
Sully – a dog with many skills. The usual advice is to avoid performing with kids
and animals but both were adorable in today’s show.
This is a show that flew by. Director Charlotte Sheridan
gets entertaining performances from a cast that are clearly enjoying working together.
Guy Mott is not too nasty as the bad guy, Harry Downes and Molly Scott work
well as the panto love story whilst Steve Walls, Daniel Mawston and Damian
Patton go from strength to strength as the generators of mirth.
There is a real pleasure when you see a panto that hits the
sweet spot. The Playhouse panto has finally found its groove. A great cast and
good writing combine to produce a very entertaining show.
Review by Stephen Oliver.
Photos by Steve Brock.
Tickets:
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