When it comes to festive-season entertainment in Stafford (and Merrydale), Jack And The Beanstalk is a giant among attractions. Indeed, plenty of people who've, er, bean to see the show haven’t stopped, er, s-talking about it!

The tale begins in the quiet land of Merrydale, where the magical and marvellous Fairy Faraway (Wendy Abrahams) sets the scene for the story which follows. The town has a dark and malevolent presence looming over it: the wicked giant Blunderbore. As always, the fairy’s partner-in-crime, Theo the Mouse, is only a wand-wave away from making mischief, and ensures that everyone knows what’s going on and where things are (usually on the floor!).

We are introduced to the Trot family. Lazy Larry Trot, the comedy genius that is Mark Rhodes, certainly keeps the giggles coming, while his rather dashing brother, the delightful Jack (Ollie Hart-Bradford), is madly in love with the sweet and beautiful Jill (Sophie Kandola). Dame Trot (David Phipps-Davis) is their splendidly flamboyant and rambunctious mother, a character whose cheeky gags and array of cleverly designed and colourful outfits ensure she's a real favourite with the audience. Multi-talented cheeky chappy Wink Taylor provides a healthy dose of chuckles, too, in the part of Jill’s dad, the playful Squire Penkridge.

The trouble begins when the Trot family need money to pay their rent and are forced to sell their beloved cow, Bluebell. Credit must go to the pantomime cow, which definitely proves that actions speak louder than words. 

Jack meets the menacing and wicked Poison Ivy (Samantha Spragg), who oozes evil with her villainous cackle and booming vocals. She sells him a bag of gold, which turns out not to be a bag of gold at all but instead a worthless heap of beans (or are they?). And so the drama begins.

The jokes come thick and fast, with every scene peppered with riotous humour, dazzling costumes and real 'star' presence. Stand-out singing comes from Jack, Jill, Larry and - most impressively - Dame Trot, a trained classical singer, who hits the high notes effortlessly and brings a touch of class to the frivolous fun.

Let's not forget the ensemble cast (Cassidy Cannonier, Matilda Gaughan, Danny Watts and Ben Wilby), who dance up a storm and sing their hearts out to the panto tunes.

Director Richard Cheshire’s expertise is much in evidence throughout the show. He's done a fantastic job of moulding the slick and sharp performances into a truly professional pantomime full of seasonal spirit. The live band is on point throughout, providing slapstick musical cues (thanks, Uncle Clive) that add some real sparkle to the story.

The bold and brilliant beanstalk and the ghastly and gruesome giant are fantastic finishing touches to an amazing evening out. It’s hard to believe, but this year's show could well be the best panto that the Gatehouse has ever seen, even eclipsing 2023's magnificent offering.

As with all good fairytales, a happy ending leaves the audience feeling warm, fuzzy and splendidly satisfied - so much so in fact that the show ended with them up and out of their seats, clapping and singing along. A fitting finale to a fabulously frolicsome evening of high-quality entertainment.

And so with all of that in mind, our advice to you this festive season is as follows: Fee-fi-fo-fum, head to the Gatehouse for heaps of panto fun!

Five stars

Reviewed by Lisa Williams – Bookends Media

Jack And The Beanstalk runs until Sunday 5 January, with tickets available from the Gatehouse Theatre Box Office on 01785 619080 or gatehousetheatre.co.uk.