Review: Jack and the Beanstalk at the Atkinson in Southport
Panto time has arrived once again in the UK’s most panto loving town. Oh yet it has!
We have no less than FOUR pantos to choose from to enjoy in Southport this year.
Last night my family and I went to enjoy the first to appear – Jack and the Beanstalk, by KD Theatre Productions Ltd, at The Atkinson.
The show opened on Thursday (7th December 2023) and runs through to New Year’s Eve.
The Jack and the Beanstalk panto at The Atkinson in Southport
It’s a giant Christmas spectacular that’s perfect for families. There was a large and enthusiastic crowd from the 15th Southport Brownies and the 17th Southport Guides, people with children, and adults who’d been to enjoy the show too.
You’re never too old to enjoy a panto! It’s fun. It brings alive the magic of Christmas. It puts a big smile on your face and gets you out of your seat. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it.
The Atkinson is the perfect setting for people to enjoy a show like this. The Town Hall Gardens in front of the theatre is speaking with a giant illuminated Christmas tree, and the new large illuminated Bear and Reindeer, provided by Southport BID and installed by local lighting firm IllumiDex.
The Jack and the Beanstalk panto at The Atkinson in Southport
The Atkinson too looks stunning with its impressive Christmas decorations both inside and out.
People are left feeling festive before they even set foot inside the theatre!
Jack and the Beanstalk seeshero Jack Trott as he embarks on an extraordinary journey up the beanstalk to an enchanted land above the clouds.
Will Jack outwit the ferocious Giant Blunderbore and save the village from his wicked ways? His mum Dame Trott, brother Silly Billy and the family cow Daisy certainly hope so!
The Jack and the Beanstalk panto at The Atkinson in Southport
With the hand of the girl he loves at stake, Jack needs your help on his gigantic adventure.
The villainous role of Fleshcreep was due to have been played by Brookside legend Dean Sullivan, who tragically died just a few days ago.
It must have been absolutely devastating for fellow members of the cast and crew. For them to ensure ‘the show must go on’ and create a show that Dean would be proud of would make him proud.
Mark Paterson has come in late in the day to take on the role of Fleshcreep, and as he opened the show, he had the delighted children in the audience booing and hissing within seconds. He was definitely a hit.
The Jack and the Beanstalk panto at The Atkinson in Southport
So was Silly Billy, Matt Dallen, who fought with brother Jack (Sean Hinds Jnr) for the affections of Jill (Lucy Brindle), and Fairy (Mollie Cranmer).
There were impressive performances from the talented young dancers in the production too.
I asked my seven year old daughter after the show what score she would give Jack and the Beanstalk – 9/10 she said.
She said she would have given 10 if Silly Billy had won Jill’s affections instead of Jack!
The Jack and the Beanstalk panto at The Atkinson in Southport
Silly Billy came across with huge stage presence, great with the children who came on stage, doing his best delivering the bad jokes that every panto is famous for.
Dame Trott (Terry Burns) and her superb costumes was superb too as the panto dame, carefully picking her way through the ‘pheasant plucker’ song as the audience held its breath.
The Jack and the Beanstalk panto at The Atkinson in Southport
The cast seemed to have fun together on stage, and that fin came across with the audience.
Even when there were a couple of slight technical difficulties with lighting and sound; well, it is live theatre; they carried on and took it in their stride, as did the audience. They were all here for a great night out, and left after a night of great sketches, big characters, raucous songs, lots of dancing, bad jokes, and shouts of ‘he’s behind you’! Well, it is Christmas.
- Jack and the Beanstalk – the Christmas Pantomime by KD Theatre Productions Ltd is at The Atkinson in Southport from Thursday 7 December 2023 – Sunday 31 December 2023. Times vary. For tickets visit: theatkinson.co.uk
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