JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Lyric Hammersmith

★★★★★

“this raucously joyful romp will put a bit of much needed magic into everyone’s lives”

If you are looking for a pantomime to see this Christmas look no further than this absolute treat of a show at the Lyric Hammersmith. With a stellar cast and a strong creative pedigree in writer Sonia Jalaly and director Nicholai La Barrie, it more than meets expectations on every level.

From the outset the Fairy Godfather in a shimmering gold dressing gown and big blue fluffy slippers, makes us aware of how Hammersmith is losing its imagination. It soon becomes all too clear why, when we are introduced to Fleshcreep Academy, the local Hammersmith school, complete with copious security cameras and a sadistic headmaster, (a brilliant bully of a baddy played by John Partridge). Meanwhile our hero Jack (Joey James), who is so lacking in confidence that he communicates through a sock puppet and his sister Jill (Sienna Widd), who has enough sass for the entire school have just started their first day, joined by their mother Momma Trott (a highly entertaining Sam Harrison) who has been hired as the new dinner lady. His first appearance with three stripey pink and white mugs strapped at jaunty angles to his pink wig, wearing a satin pink ‘diamonds are a girls best friend’ outfit, looks like a cross between a RuPaul Drag Race contestant and Rylan. All credit to the costume dept (Georgia Lowe) for an incredible job and particularly for Momma Trott’s imaginative and hilarious wardrobe.

In order to defeat The Giant, Jade Hackett’s ‘Looney Tunes’ Fairy Godfather valiantly tries to capture everyone’s imagination and her performance is a comedic masterpiece – her hilarious footwork alone is a pure delight. Jack eventually finds his voice and what a voice…. Joey James is excellent, playing the dual characters of himself and his ‘sock’ alter ego. Not only is he an exceptional rapper, but he also delivers a killer melodic line in the song ‘Pure Imagination’.

Corin Buckeridge’s cleverly created songs feel so currently familiar, yet are original compositions. The sound (Nick Manning) hits just the right level which is no mean feat for a pantomime and Kayla Lomas-Kirton’s vibrant and contemporary choreography delights the younger members of the audience. Older generations will recognise and appreciate other witty musical sound bites like ‘Take my Breath Away’ and ‘Hello Darkness my old Friend’ and the cheeky reenactment of the CCTV Coldplay footage and the inclusion of the controversial 6/7 shows just how appealing this production is to all ages.

The Lyric Hammersmith prides itself for bringing their community together and having innovation at its heart. Well they have truly pushed the boundaries in this production, whilst still maintaining all the core values of a truly traditional panto. This is a tumultuously feel-good show about hopes and dreams …. as the Fairy Godfather said ‘There is nothing more magical than a child’s imagination’. From the audience’s reaction, this raucously joyful romp will put a bit of much needed magic into everyone’s lives.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Lyric Hammersmith

Reviewed on 22nd November 2025

by Sarah Milton

Photography by Manuel Harlan

Previously reviewed at this venue:

OUR TIME | ★★★★ | October 2025

GHOSTS | ★★★★★ | April 2025

PLAY ON! | ★★★★★ | January 2025

OTHELLO | ★★★★ | January 2023

JACK AND

★★

“Structurally, the show was rather like an album, comprised of different tracks, but, aside from the closing piece, they all sounded pretty much the same”

Grey is an intensely personal show. Written by Koko Brown, who is also one of the two performers, it is an autobiographical account of her own struggles with depression. It is honest, and it is real, and Koko herself radiates warmth, strength, fragility and creativity. To sit in the audience with a notebook and pen felt intrusive, as if I was being asked to critique her pain. So, to be clear: it is the artistic shaping of that pain that is being written about here. Nothing can take away from the truth and validity of Koko Brown’s lived experience.

The show has a simple format. Koko shares the stage with another performer, Sapphire Joy, who interprets – through a mixture of sign language and signifying gesture – what she is saying. Or at least, sometimes that’s what she does. Sapphire busts out of her interpreter role on occasion, to directly challenge or confront Koko’s narrative, though still remaining in the realm of sign and gesture. Sapphire also signs the music. Koko mixes live beats throughout, using her loop station, and frequently sings over the top, and one of the real pleasures of this piece was watching Sapphire Joy physically embody those sounds. Fantastic work, and another instance in which Shelley Maxwell’s superb movement direction shines.

The integration of a signing performer into the work felt exciting, and provided some welcome moments of theatre, especially when the two women interacted, although there were also a few sections of unspoken dialogue which were unclear to the audience, and which, judging by the animation of the performers, it seemed a shame to be missing out on. There was also a terrific section towards the end of the show in which the poetry rose up out of the narrative and Koko then opened her voice into a great howl of pain, triumph and pure being. Unfortunately, these moments were little and late.

Making a perfomance piece about depression is always going to be problematic, as it is a condition of repetitive stasis, which is inherently undramatic; this conundrum wasn’t resolved here, and the show lacked pace and tonal variety. The enforced gaiety which is clearly exhausting for the sufferer, was equally exhausting for the audience, and went on for far too long. Also, the theatrical elements in the staging – giant hanging origami birds, for example – seemed completely arbitrary. Structurally, the show was rather like an album, comprised of different tracks, but, aside from the closing piece, they all sounded pretty much the same.

Reviewed by Rebecca Crankshaw

Photography by Mariana Feijó

Tag Archives: Nicholai La Barrie

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

★★★★★

Lyric Hammersmith

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Lyric Hammersmith

★★★★★

“this raucously joyful romp will put a bit of much needed magic into everyone’s lives”