Jack and the Beanstalk – What a Whopper showing at The Charing Cross Theatre is every bit like your traditional pantomime; it has humour, audience participation, a fairy, a dame and an evil villain. Except this panto had one big… twist:

The synopsis goes a little like this: Jack Trott is a poor, gay young farmer who lives on a dilapidated dairy farm quite a few miles from his nearest Grindr match. He sells their beloved cow, Claudia for a handful of magic beans and with sheer disgust his Mother throws them out of the window. The next morning they wake to the biggest stalk they’ve ever seen and Jack’s curiosity as to whether there is a well endowed giant up there spurs the story on to its joyful climax.

What a whopper indeed! The night was FULL of belly laughs from start to finish, it was just gag after gag (quite literally) which was a result of Jon Bradfield and Martin Hoppers’ filthy writing. The comic timing was impeccable throughout; Dale (the fairy-like character of this panto) played by Chris Lane was hilarious from start to finish. He was a real stand out for the whole show!!! There wasn’t a moment he missed and the audience were with him every step of the way. Saying this, all of the characters were well-established throughout, from the horny Jack Trott (Keanu Adolphis Johnson) to vile Lady Fleshcreep (Jordan Stamatiadis) herself. Each was brought to life by a cast who embraced the larger-than-life essence of panto. The OTT acting was a sight to behold – the bigger, the better in my opinion! None of which would have been possible without the direction of Andrew Beckett.

And let’s not forget the traditional panto choreography by Carole Todd! With their exaggerated movements and perfectly timed jirates, the characters danced like there was no tomorrow, adding a layer of vibrancy to every scene that had us eating out of the palm of their hands.

One point to note throughout was how difficult it was at times to join in, even when being asked to by the cast – audience participation is such an exciting part of any panto and there were moments throughout that this was difficult. Lots of the stage greetings seemed complicated or too much like one another that the audience didn’t really know what they were saying back which was such a shame.

Thankfully, our dear old Dame Dolly Trott (Matthew Baldwin), had us all under control at all times and seemed to rather enjoy it too. Impeccable timing, fabulous costume changes (most of the time) and just a great stage presence, it was a joy to watch Baldwin in this role.

If you’re looking for an evening of queer fun, laughter, and just a sprinkle of LGBTQ+ magic then this production of Jack and The Beanstalk – What A Whopper! won’t disappoint! It is obvious that everyone involved put their heart and soul into this great show.

Review by Laura Whittingham

Jack and the Beanstalk – What A Whopper! is on at the Charing Cross Theatre until 11th January. To find out more and book tickets you can visit their website here.

If you like this review you might also like my review of Beauty and the Beast at Marlowe Theatre, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Why Am I So Single.