Review: JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, Birmingham Hippodrome
Photo credit: Paul Coltas
A jewel in the panto crown, Birmingham Hippodrome’s spectacular pantomime - this year, Jack and the Beanstalk - is now open and although it is possibly the latest in the calendar to open, it’s well worth the wait, Besties.
With Mark Walters’ lavish set (which earned him an Olivier Award nomination when it was used at the London Palladium last year) and stunning costumes, this is a top notch, high quality production that hasn’t cut any corners in its presentation. Paired with Ben Cracknell’s lighting design, it is picture perfect in every scene, particularly at the end of Act One which is mightily impressive.
Returning for his tenth year, comic Matt Slack is a staple in Birmingham panto and audiences ADORE him. Back this year as Jake Trot (not Jack, sorry Matt), he gives the audience what they want and then some. It is incredible to be surrounded by audience members who are being introduced to Slack for the first time and hearing their reactions. After ten years of watching Slack, that enormous smile on our faces is still there Besties, but the belly laughs have dwindled a little over recent years with the majority of the material being rehashed and few original sketches coming to the surface. That said, Slack is a master of his craft and it is clear to see why he is invited back and returns year on year.
Our star casting this year comes in the form of the wonderful Alison Hammond (This Morning, ITV; The Great British Bake Off, Channel 4) as the Spirit of the Beans, and Eastenders’ Samantha Womack who we most recently loved on stage as the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Hammond is BORN to be in panto. She has an immediate rapport with the audience and it may have been proven on Strictly Come Dancing a few years back but boy, has she got the moves - that TikTok! The somewhat flexibility with the script that panto allows is also well suited for Hammond, particularly during her hilarious banter-filled exchanges with Slack. Womack plays Mrs Blunderbore fairly deadpan throughout and admittedly could have pushed her villainess status a little further. However, we are so glad that she was able to show off her impressive vocal abilities throughout, with Steps’ ‘Scared of the Dark’ being a particular highlight at the top of Act Two.
Talking of vocals, Doreen Tipton (returning this year aptly as Doreen the Lazy Cow) is given more singing material in this show and her voice is absolutely sublime - we wanted more! She is always a joy, as is Andrew Ryan as Dame Trot who must be one of the best panto dames on the circuit. Revelling in every moment, his speciality costumes by Mike Coltman are stunning, and he just loves playing up that one poor (male) soul in the front row throughout the show. Don’t sit in the front row, kids!
New additions to the principal cast this year include Alexanda O’Reilly as Jack and Billie-Kay as Princess Jill. Whilst the love story element of the loose plot is virtually flat as a pancake, their performances are certainly not. O’Reilly is a very charismatic principal boy and a bundle of controlled energy, even if his Brummie accent is debatable at times. He has the best moment of the show at the end of Act One but no spoilers here, Besties. Billie-Kay is clearly a big talent but is vastly underused here - where was the love duet between her and Jack for instance? Everyone mentioned above is greatly supported by a talented ensemble cast, directed by Michael Harrison and choreographed by Ashley Nottingham. Whilst elements could be tighter, their presentation can’t be faulted.
Matt Peploe’s sound design is en pointe from start to finish and with expert musical direction by Robert Willis, accompanied by half a dozen other musicians, the song selection and incidental music is good but we were greatly missing that magical earworm that leads you into the interval and often gets repeated in the finale. This said, the Steps number has been ringing in our ears since!
All things considered, we think we can mark this as another glittering success by Crossroads Pantomimes and the brilliant team at Birmingham Hippodrome.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jenny Ell
Jack and the Beanstalk plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until 28 January 2024, with further information here.
