What is so lovely about this years Pantomime JACK AND THE BEANSTALK at the Swansea Grand, is that you have all the traditional elements we know, love and expect from this almost 300 year old story but with an updated technological retelling of the tale.
Panto Land in Swansea is about as bright and colourful as you’ll see anywhere, with a digital set which pulls you right into the action. The stage is there for us all to see when we enter the auditorium and even before the show begins it’s a pretty impressive set. Once the music begins however, and Fairy Ffion (CELYN CARTWRIGHT) burst onto stage, we then get to see how really impressive it all is.
The backdrop to the stage is stunning, the costumes and lighting awesome, and the performances, as we’ve come to expect in the city, are first class.
Headlining the show this year is Radio Two Favourite SCOTT MILLS as Mayor Mills. Although Scott is fairly new to the world of Panto, having done his first ever last year in Leicester, he settled into the role, and Swansea really well, bringing a few well placed radio jokes and South Wales references, which all went down well.
I was delving into our archives and it is exactly 20 years ago (2004) when Jack and the Beanstalk was on stage, then again in 2015. While the set and songs have all come a long way since then, there is one element of the show which is as much a part of the Swansea Grand Panto as a flashing wand from the gift shop and an ice cream in the interval, and that is KEV JOHNS.
Kev was in the show back then and two decades later is still turning in a flawless performance as Dame Tilly Trot. Appearing alongside Kev is his recent Panto double act MATT EDWARDS as Larry Trot. Matt is the perfect partner for Kev too, although you always feel they are a glance away from completely losing the plot and breaking into fits of laughter on stage – and I mean that as a great compliment. In fact that happened during last nights performance when Matt Called Kev “Him‘, which Kev was quick to take full comedic advantage of.
As you can see from the reaction below, the audience feel it wouldn’t be a Swansea panto without this terrifically funny pairing.
What we’ve grown to love about a Swansea Pantomime is that everyone is given an opportunity to shine. MARK READ as Jack Trot had some nice lines as well as some cracking 90s hits to blast out, including one from his old band A1. JO OSMOND was a suitably villainous Poison Ivy while CHRISTINA HARRIS was the perfect Jill for our hero Jack.
All the two-legged cast members were great, as was the humungous giant which made a short, but nevertheless scary appearance in the second half. But one of the scene-stealers was definitely Buttercup the cow (ELLA GOODIE, NATALIE TWIST, MOLLY LEWIS). She was bright and cute and a real hit with the kids. For us slightly older kids in the audience we were delighted when the cast gave us a rendition of ‘Build Me Up Buttercup‘ as their love song tribute to the loveable cow,
I did say one of the scene stealers, I think the main accolade for that has to go to the four children who joined Matt and Kev on stage to sing the closing song. To be honest it’s a routine I’ve not seen in Panto since before lockdown and it is such a welcome addition to the show. The kids were charming, funny and unpredictable and in the safe hands of Matt and Kev it made for a lovely way to end what was a fantastic night out.
As usual the show was a massive hit with the audience, young and old alike, and with an announcement that ALADDIN is to be the 2025 offering at the theatre, it was heartwarming to see so many of the audience heading to their devices to get tickets booked nice and early.
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK is at the Swansea Grand right through till the 5th January. There’s plenty of performance times and seat prices available, if you’d like to check out the details, go HERE. Or you can call the box office on 01792 475715.
