REVIEW: Jack and the Beanstalk (Almost!) puts a hilarious spin on the classic tale

The cast of Jack and the Beanstalk (Almost!) at Horncastle Theatre Company. Photo: Paul Dexter

REVIEW: Funny, touching, silly, professional – this reviewer is running out of compliments to give Horncastle Theatre Company as each show just gets better and better.

Jack and the Beanstalk (Almost!), is the company’s 40th pantomime and the cast and crew promised to make this year’s offering as memorable as possible – and it’s safe to say they’ve done exactly that and then some.

In a twist on the popular tale, the show sees Jack (the dashing Tadhg Davey)’s cow Daisy (Jo Stone, who puts in a moo-ving performance) stolen by bumbling pirates Nick and Russell (the brilliant Shane Kelley and Kaye Hieatt, who deserve their own comedy show).

On his quest to get her back, he meets famous faces including Dick Whittington (Sophie Campbell) who has lost his cat, Goldilocks (Christina Holmes), Little Red Riding Hood (Natasha Lowes), Sleeping Beauty (Donna Kirman) and more, and before long their attentions turn to the Narrator (David Allerton) who has simply disappeared to go and find ice cream, and left the story in a mess.

Tristan Forrester steals the show as Prince Charming, who is given a 21st century re-imagining as an influencer trying to use ‘the ‘Gram’ to boost his fame and find the owner of the glass slipper left at his party, and starring in his Dame debut is Jon Cooke, who is clearly revelling in his role.

Director Isabel Forrester had stepped into the role of the dastardly King Rat due to cast illness and does a great job, and no doubt audiences will be booing and hissing, as they will at the fabulous Alice Rowlatt as Captain Hook, who commands the stage as the villainous pirate, and these two baddies facing off is brilliantly funny.

Also stepping in due to illness was co-writer and co-director Amanda Eastwood who took on the part of the scatter-brained Fairy, and did a fantastic job as the poor sparkly being trying to hold everything together.

Isabel has also written the play, and her brilliant writing puts a touching modern – and local – spin on the classic tale, with many twists and turns leaving the audience guessing what will happen next...will poor Daisy end up at The Busy Butcher? Will Prince Charming find his squeeze? And will Sleeping Beauty ever manage a full nap?

All of the roles are brilliantly cast and everyone puts in 100 percent to make this a wonderful show once again, and Jack and the Beanstalk (Almost!) is absolutely not to be missed.

The panto opens on Thursday (January 25) and runs until Saturday February 3. Tickets are £8 and are available from Rose and B, or by visiting https://www.horncastletheatre.co.uk/book-tickets/