Jack And The Beanstalk At The Royal And Derngate, Northampton Review
TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST/S FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW.
Reviewed by Ilze Lee
Jack and the Beanstalk – Royal & Derngate, Northampton
I’ll start this review by saying that I might just be a little biased. I am a HUGE fan of Keala Settle, and having a chance to see anything she is a part of, is just dreamy.
I’ll also say, like many others, the Christmas cheer has just not reached my cold heart yet this year. It’s been difficult, hasn’t it? With all the problems the country is facing, I know that moods are low and pennies are precious.
A trip to the theatre might just seem like a bit of extravagance that you can’t afford this year.
You need this Panto.
From the very moment that Keala appeared on stage as the Fairy Sugarsnap, the energy was magical. As funny and warm as her performance was, there is just that undeniable something that leaves no doubt that you are in the company of a great star. The way she played with the audience was fantastic to experience, and as much as she left us in awe (and stitches), she also had the ability to make you feel a sense of familiarity. She was not just the Panto Fairy, she was all of ours, too.
As much as I love Keala, I have to move on to our villain, Richard David-Caine as Luke Backinanger. As the great mastermind behind the evil plots that has befallen the villagers, he is absolutely hilarious. He is one of those actors who are just born to be in comedy, and every time he appeared on stage, we tried to hate him, but somehow ended up loving him instead. He is the most lovable scoundrel of any panto I’ve ever seen. His humour stretches so much further than the role he plays, and he draws the audience in with the utmost ease. The way he got us to clap for him before we remembered we were supposed to be booing, was just more evidence of his outstanding performance and charm.
Moving on to Bob Golding (Dame Trott) – as the mother of Jack, and also co-director. Oh my goodness. That is what panto is all about. The laugh out loud funny, the sly references, the audience engagement, the over-the-top bits. It was all there. And just when you thought it reached the pinnacle, s/he appears as a quick Elton John. I almost split my sides, as did everyone around me. This is where I left my dignity behind, and just ugly laughed uncontrollably. It was hilarious.
A quick run through, as I realise I am running out of space. Alex Lodge as Jack Trott, Ben Thornton as Billy and Cara Dudgeon as Jess, all delivered a faultless performance. We loved them, and Billy’s warmth and kindness seems to be so much more than just a role on stage. We all wanted to stay in his gang, even after the panto ended. Izzy the dog (Biggins) made a brief appearance and warmed the last corner of our icy hearts.
This was such an incredible crowd pleaser. The dancers were amazing, the atmosphere magical. It was absolutely just what was needed to get in the real Christmas spirit, and leave behind any scrooge-ness.
If you are already in good cheer – you need this to put the cherry on the cake. If you are like me, trying but not quite reaching it, you need this! It will fill you with joy, and help you to leave your troubles to one side, for much longer than the duration of the performance.
It is amazing, every minute of it.
There is a lot of parking available near the theatre. The staff were all friendly and helpful. The theatre is a lovely, clean building that made us feel safe. There are plenty of bars available, meaning the wait for refreshments was never very long.
I can’t rate this enough. If you were unsure of whether to go this year or not – please do.
Rating: 5/5 star rating is just not enough.
Jack and the Beanstalk runs from 9 December 2022 – 2 January 2023. Ticket prices seem to vary from just over £15 to just under £40. Thursday 29 December (Signed), Friday 30 December (Audio Described and Saturday 31 December (Relaxed Performance).