REVIEW

Pantomime

Jack and The Beanstalk

Marina Theatre

Lowestoft

Until January 2012

STARRING Sue Hodge ('Allo 'Allo) as Fairy Organic and pianist, songwriter, actor and presenter Bobby Crush as Dame Trott, this classic tale follows Jack (Chris Edgerley) and his adventure from Sunnyvale to the Giant's Castle via a beanstalk and his battle with the grumpy giant after he is talked into swopping his prize cow for some dodgy bean seeds.

This is a traditional pantomime with some contemporary twists, the most notable of which is Timmy the Toucan, a piece of modern animatronics who enthralled the children with his ability to talk.

Sue Hodge's Fairy Organic was delightfully rude and irreverent in a way that appealed to children and adults alike and

Adam Kelly as Simple Simon and David Redgrave as Fleshcreep grabbed the children's imagination and soon had them cheering and booing at the top of their voices. Bobby Crush had us rocking in our seats with an energetic medley of rock tunes including Let's Dance, Twist and Shout and Hound Dog.

What made this performance so special was seeing children having fun and interacting with the characters on stage in a way no computer game or television can replicate and the finale to the words and music of Rockin' All Over The World left us in no doubt that Christmas and the Panto season is in full swing. Oh yes it is!

Rhonda Deal