★★★

“some great, high-energy performances and a really superb design”

Following last year’s Sleeping Beauty Takes a Prick!, the same creative team returns to the Charing Cross Theatre with another riotously naughty adult pantomime: Jack and the Beanstalk: What a Whopper! This outrageous take on the beloved fairytale, written by Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper, promises all the glitter and glamour of traditional panto, but with a decidedly adult twist. Packed with innuendos, saucy humour, and fabulous designs, it’s an unashamedly queer festive night out.

The show’s design is truly marvellous, with David Shields’ award-winning talents on full display. The set bursts with vibrant colour and whimsical detail, perfectly capturing the silly yet sophisticated tone of the production. Glittering pink and blue clouds frame the stage and floor, giving a cohesive, cartoon-like charm that’s both nostalgic and fresh. Scene transitions, from Dame Dolly’s kitchen to a graveyard and even then to the sky, are executed with seamless flair, ensuring the visual storytelling flows effortlessly. Perhaps the most important part of any version of this particular story is, of course, the reveal of the beanstalk. Shields’ design absolutely does not disappoint, with the phallic shaped stalk bursting onto the scene with great delight from the audience.

Robert Draper and Sandy Lloyd’s costumes are equally delightful, combining bold colours, traditional panto flair and some fun little tricks too. Matthew Baldwin’s Dame Dolly has perhaps a dozen changes throughout the show, donning various wigs and dresses, and at one glorious moment appearing in a Norma Desmond-inspired number, reflecting her character’s backstory as a failed soap opera star.

Matthew Baldwin is right at home as he returns to the adult pantomime and absolutely lives up to his reputation. He builds a great rapport with the audience, gracing the stage with ease, effortlessly balancing the character’s brash humour and softer moments. Chris Lane, swapping last year’s villainous role for Dale the fairy, is another standout. His cheeky rapport with the audience, impeccable comic timing, and flirtatious stage presence adds endless charm. Lane’s dynamic with Keanu Adolphus Johnson’s Jack Trott is particularly entertaining, with their playful exchanges offering plenty of laughs.

Johnson brings a likeable quality to Jack, capturing the character’s charm. While his performance might benefit from bolder characterisation, his chemistry with the rest of the cast and general presence is lovely. Laura Anna-Mead, as Simple Simone, has boundless energy from her first entrance, becoming hilariously giddy when talking about her big crush.

Jordan Stamatiadis also returns to this year’s panto as the villainous Lady Fleshcreep. Stamatiadis has a commanding onstage presence and shows off a gloriously evil voice. Meanwhile, Joe Grundy as Reverend Tim, navigating a comic sexual awakening, provides some laughs, though could push the physical characterisation much further.

Carole Todd’s choreography brings lots of joy and energy to the stage. Matt Hockley’s lighting design enhances this further, bathing the action in vibrant colours and dynamic effects that amplify the panto’s glittering atmosphere.

While the script delivers its fair share of laugh-out-loud moments, packed with smutty innuendos and one-liners, the narrative could be tightened. Scenes drift a little and could do with more focus as it journeys through each beat of the story. Likewise, musically, the original songs don’t do much to drive the narrative and aren’t exactly catchy or memorable. A brief moment of Beyonce is very welcome and further use of parodying pre-existing songs would really elevate the show to the next level.

Jack and the Beanstalk: What a Whopper! has some great, high-energy performances and a really superb design. The humour sometimes lands and sometimes doesn’t, and I think the show would overall benefit from focussing a bit more on story and a little less on joke after joke, which starts to get a little tiring. Above all, I think this is a pantomime team which knows its audience, and I’m sure many will really enjoy this year’s offering.

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

★★★★

“a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars”

If it’s glitz, glamour and banter performed by local talent, Edinburgh’s own Cinderella is the panto you’ve been looking for. The Crossroads Production of this much loved Christmas favourite has something for everyone, whether you’re a glamorous gran or a sleepy babe in arms. There won’t be any time for naps or time outs though, because this is a show where everyone gets involved, thanks to the experienced crowd management talents of Allan Stewart (Faerie May), Grant Stott (Baroness Hibernia Fortuna) and Jordan Young (Buttons).

Panto has long been an Edinburgh tradition, even if familiar names and faces retire from time to time. The traditional venue changes from time to time as well. This year’s production is at the Festival Theatre while the Kings Theatre (affectionately known as the Old Lady of Leven Street) undergoes a face lift. This 2024 Cinderella is heavy on tradition too, with familiar jokes about politics at Holyrood, and the state of play at the Hibernian Football Club down the road in Leith. Towns outside Edinburgh are lovingly mocked, but local scandals are also given brief airings, much to the delight of the crowd. In short, this is Panto as it used to be done, with a hefty tribute to music hall traditions, and its variety show talents. This includes some updated songs with the magnificent voices of Cinderella (Amber Sylvia Edwards) and her Prince (Will Callan).

Fabulous. But what about the plot of Cinderella? All the familiar elements are there, including a bit of backstory about how our heroine came to have a horrible stepmother and two ugly stepsisters. Prince Charming is very charming indeed and not above sneaking out of his palace to meet his love in places less stressful than a huge ball with everyone looking on. In this version, an upwardly mobile and career oriented Cinders aims for a job as Royal Advisor to the Prince. There are a number of similar updates, but this is still recognizably Cinderella. But make no mistake: Edinburgh’s Cinderella belongs to Faerie May (aka The Fairy Godmother). If there’s one weakness to all this updating, it’s that the story of Cinders and her Prince is barely sketched in. But given the number of elaborate costume changes that have to take place, it’s not surprising that Faerie May, the villianous Baroness and the ever cheeky Buttons have the lion’s share of time on stage.

But we’re here for a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars. And this Cinderella delivers spectacle in spades. There’s Faerie May’s star spangled descent from the rafters at the beginning of the show, and an eye popping end of the first half involving real ponies and a pumpkin carriage. The even more sparkly grand finale does not disappoint— one could attend this production in full ballgown and tiara and not feel overdressed. But it’s the comic talents of Allan Stewart as Faerie May that keep this show down to earth and accessible to all. Whether it’s putting Cinderella at ease, or dealing with a delightful seven year old girl from the audience upstaging him while his back is turned, Stewart shows that panto experience is key, and age is only a number. Grant Stott as Baroness Hibernia owns the stage with his incredible costumes and an attitude to match. And Jordan Young as Buttons pours such energy into his trademark “Hiya Paaaals” that some local business should probably bottle it and make a fortune. All this, and the show still has a Cinderella (Amber Sylvia Edwards) and a Prince Charming (Will Callan) who manage to hold their own despite all the mayhem going on around them. With supporting players Clare Gray and Gail Watson as the Ugly Sisters, and Iain Stuart Robertson as Baron Hardup, Cinderella has a talented and sympathetic ensemble who know exactly how to play to an Edinburgh crowd.

This Cinderella is a show that knows its community, and plays to it well. So if you’re looking for something unique to Edinburgh and its holiday traditions, this Scottish flavoured panto has plenty to please.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: WHAT A WHOPPER! at Charing Cross Theatre

★★★

“some great, high-energy performances and a really superb design”

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: WHAT A WHOPPER! at Charing Cross Theatre

Reviewed on 28th November 2024

by Joseph Dunitz

Photography by Steve Gregson

Previously reviewed at this venue:

JACK AND THE

JACK AND THE

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

★★★★

“a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars”

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

Reviewed on 26th November 2024

by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Douglas Robertson

More reviews from Dominica:

Cinderella

Cinderella