One of the best and funniest pantos around! FIVE STARS
If you are looking to spend an absolutely hilarious couple of hours getting into the festive spirit, then “Jack and the Beanstalk” at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre is the panto for you.
It ticks all the boxes you would expect of a traditional panto, and stars double BAFTA award-winning CBBC presenter Mark Rhodes (parents will remember him as one half of Sam and Mark) as Larry Trot, who is the butt of the panto dame’s slapstick antics.
Set in the village of Merrydale, there is, quite literally, something for all ages from Theo the talking mouse as Fairy Wendy’s sidekick, to the cheeky, cheesy humour of the infectious Dame Tilly Trott, played by David Phipps-Davis, and a seemingly endless array of amusing costumes.
From glitter balls, pyrotechnics, water pistols – yes you will get little wet – and a side-splitting bakery slapstick scene and songs galore, including “The Only Way is Up”, “Over the Rainbow”, and “I Need a Hero”, to booing and cheering in the usual audience panto participation retorts and a fantastic operatic scene from Dame Trott, it is certainly a packed show.
With a fab “Little Shop of Horrors”, and Jack and Jill twist – you will just have to go to find out more. This was one of the best and funniest pantos I’ve seen.
Produced by Imagine Theatre and written by Eric Potts, of “Coronation Street” Diggory fame and who is regarded as one of the country’s top panto dames, you can book your tickets at https://www.gatehousetheatre.co.uk/
Written by Justine Halifax
