Jack is Top
Trumps for Durham
Jack
and the Beanstalk
Durham Gala
Until
Saturday
7th January 2017
A
great panto has a clear story, lots of laugh for both the children and the
adults, good pace, likeable characters and the set looks good too. Jack &
The Beanstalk ticks off of those boxes and leaves the audience happy at the end too.
Jack (Jamie Brown) |
Written
and directed by Neil Armstrong and Paul Hartley, the show features talented
local actors. The references to the local area come across as genuine rather
than learnt from a script. There is real
warmth to this show and it is easy to see why this team was so critically
acclaimed with last year’s show.
Fleshcreep (Neil Armstrong) |
This
was our first time at The Gala panto’ and it left a very good impression upon
us. Jack (Jamie Brown) lives happily in Spennymoor: a place where there are
always smiles and everyone is happy – until Fleshcreep (Neil Armstrong) and his
giant (Ethan Scott) appear.
They demolish the castle leaving the Princess
Jilliana (Sarah Boulter) homeless. The princess ends up on Jack’s farm and his
mother, Dame Trott (Paul Dunn) invite her for tea. Milkshake the cow (John
Murdoch) is no longer producing milk so Jack’s silly brother Simon (Paul
Hartley) is given the job to sell it and he ends up trading it for some magic
beans…
Fairy Moonflower (Sally Collett) |
Dame Trott (Paul Dunn) |
Added
to the Durham panto mix is the Fairy Moonflower (Sally
Collett) who needs to gain back her magical power from Fleshcreep.
The
show is supported by a live band perched up on the theatre circle; 4 dancers
and one of 2 groups of 8 members of the Gala Theatre Stage School. The dancers and kids
are much more than just window dressing and they get their own lines and songs
too.
Dame Trott (Paul Dunn) |
The
audience get plenty to boo and cheer at. There are moments of silliness and
mischief but the show doesn’t lose the plot. The set and costumes are suitably
bright and cheerful. Jamie Brown is well suited to the role of the clean cut
good guy. Neil Armstrong courts the jeers as the bad guy whilst Paul Hartley is
silly enough without milking the crowd for laughs too much. Both Sally Collett
and Sarah Boulter play strong characters, that both have their chance to set
their wits against the bad guy.
Milkshake the cow (John Murdoch) |
Jack
& The Beanstalk is a warm, friendly panto’ appealling to audiences young
and old. It was a fun, well-written 2 hours 40 minute production and we will be
returning next year!
Review by Stephen Oliver - Follow on Twitter as @panic_c_button.
Read the NETG Preview: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/preview-jack-and-beanstalk-at-durham.html
Review by Stephen Oliver - Follow on Twitter as @panic_c_button.
Read the NETG Preview: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/preview-jack-and-beanstalk-at-durham.html
Tickets:
Tickets
priced from just £10 can be purchased from the Gala Box Office in person, by
calling 03000 266 600, or online at www.galadurham.co.uk
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