Jack and the Beanstalk

Wanneroo Repertory’s Jack and the Beanstalk is true British pantomime with lots of audience involvement, traditional responses, and great fun.

It's perhaps not surprising that this production understands the genre, with the director, stage manager and at least 7 of the cast hailing the British Isles. Lots of genuine British accents on the stage (and indeed in the audience).

On the night I reviewed, understudy Natalie Wiles was stepping up into the title role - giving us a traditional female Principal Boy, rather than Jake Libbis, the male performer who usually plays the role. Natalie was a lovely leggy hero, and did well in the leading role - presumably on reduced rehearsal time. Principal Girl Princess Demelza was very sweetly played by Ffion Bishop.

It's great to see a Dame well played, and Chris Juckes is a lovely knock-around Dame Trot, wearing some of costumiers Joan Braskic and Julia Gobbert's most striking costumes. He worked well with comic relief Simple Simon, played with lovely timing and wry facial expression by Phil Bedworth. This twosome improvised nicely and also handled an audience volunteer that wanted to pull focus and mug, with professionalism and grace.

Helen Judge was a mature, but thoroughly modern fairy, Edena the Eco Fairy. Richard Judge was a pompous but likeable King Bertram - beautifully supported by servant Trumpet, played with great facial and physical comedy by Gordon Park. Great to see a quintet of performers no-longer-in-their-teens tearing around the theatre with energy and great fun.

There were some boo-worthy baddies, with Andrew Govey relishing his role as the evil Slimeball. Peter Giles played the Giant well, looking great in a head created by Dave Browning and Polly Waugh. A lovely army of cockroaches (Sarah McDonald, leading Amba Bedworth, Penny Giles and Karli Kinsella) were funny little evil guards, while Yasmeen Gahadi, Janes Low and Abigail King were gorgeous little ghosts.

Great work also from Fiona Scott and Madison Scott, with beautiful physicalisation as Daisy the Cow - lovely to see Geoff Rumsey’s gorgeous cow costume travelling to the northern suburbs. Solid support from the chorus, adding colour and lovely facial expression.

Settings, designed by Gwen Browning, Dave Browning and Vince Haines, are colourful and fun, with trucks and transient settings nicely realised. Ashlee Torrens provides a supportive lighting design, with Paul King’s sound design well managed. 

Some well-chosen and familiar songs support the plot well, performed with gusto by the cast, under the guidance of Musical Director Madeleine Innes, while Fiona Scott’s sometimes highly energetic choreography is nicely executed. Some gorgeous up-to-the-minute local humour mixed with some lovely old jokes keeps the audience laughing.

Very hard to get a ticket to this enjoyable show. A lovely way to end the year.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Katie Robinson