Jack & the Beanstalk at the Nottingham Playhouse | Our Annual Christmas Pantomime
It's time to tell you all about this year's Christmas pantomime at the Nottingham Playhouse. 2024 saw the comical retelling of the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. We all know the story - Jack and his mum are hard-up on the farm, so they have to sell their beloved cow.
But instead of getting some much needed gold in exchange for their furry friend, Jack got a bag of magic beans instead. He then brings them home to his mum, who is furious at the bargain he made with the mysterious cow-buyer, so much so that she throws them out of the window in anger and frustration.
However, little do they know that a giant beanstalk will grow overnight, giving the hero, Jack, a straight run up into the clouds and into the Giant's private land in the sky. Knowing full well that the Giant's castle is home to treasures, Jack goes in search for a hen that lays golden eggs, among other things.
Battling with the Giant in a bid to steal the hen and bring her back home, Jack succeeds and he returns to his mum with this magical, and very valuable, hen. As such, they never have to go without again and everyone lives happily ever after...the end!
That's the story in a nutshell, but you know what panto is like. They very rarely stick to the script. In this one, Jack has a brother called Billy and a love interest called Jill. There is also a fairy who sticks around to watch over Jack, like a guardian angel.
In addition to that, the cow is bought by one of the Giant's henchmen and taken up to the castle to be put in a teak pie (although the cow is saved and safely returned back to the farm). The henchmen then turns over a new leaf and becomes good again.
Not only that, but Jack's mum was called Daisy, instead of the cow. So while the retelling of the story didn't exactly follow that of the classic tale, it was still incredibly entertaining and absolutely hilarious. The dancing, the singing, the jokes and even the songs they chose were current and on-trend.
There weren't any musical numbers that didn't have your foot tapping or your head bopping. It was incredibly energetic, he actors were talented and dealt with hiccups professionally and in a way that kept the show going. Characters were never broken and the live music was seamless, as always.
I have been going to see the pantomime at the Nottingham Playhouse every year for the past 25 years. The only time I didn't go was during the Covid pandemic, because it wasn't actually running. The gags and the jokes are the same as always, in order for it to remain in-keeping with everything you'd expect from a pantomime.
From "it's behind you" yells to "oh no it isn't" yells, you get a traditional panto feel without spending the earth. It still remains great fun for the whole family and I will always keep going to watch the pantomimes at the Nottingham Playhouse, for as long as they continue to put them on.
You can grab your tickets to Jack and the Beanstalk at the Nottingham Playhouse here. The show is running right up until the 18th January 2025 - trust me, you won't be disappointed!
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post? Let me know in the comments whether or not you've been to see the panto at the Nottingham Playhouse this year, or if you're looking at getting some tickets, and I will see you again very soon with some brand new festive content :)
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