★★★★★
The Panto is a festive institution in Aberdeen every year and this year it returned to His Majesty’s Theatre to tell the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
With my best boo and ‘oh yes it is’ practiced, I joined my fellow theatre goers in the packed HMT to experience the colour and magic only a panto can bring.
In a night full of capers, magic and near never-ending laughter the cast deliver a spectacular show that captivates all ages.
And with some familiar faces in the mix you know you’re in for a good show. Written and starring Alan McHugh as Dame Trot and Gary: Tank Commander as Gary Trot, the production is just a ball of energy waiting to explode.
They have some great moments and chemistry on the stage together that puts the audience in safe hands.
Fans of the Vagina Monologues may recognise Julie Coombe as the horrible Mrs Blunderbore, the Giant’s wife, who revelled in the audience’s booing and hissing.
Everyone knows the rule of pantomime – audience participation is mandatory. The audience in HMT were definitely not shy getting stuck in.
When it comes to the humour there are moments that had the young screaming in laughter, jokes that had the older ones buckled with the veiled innuendo and plenty tongue-in-cheek jabs at Aberdeen all taken in good humour from the audience.
Everything that you would expect from an expertly crafted panto.
The inclusion of Doric, local accents and references all added to the detail of the story and made it feel like it was written for us Aberdonians to enjoy.
Among the original songs written for the production were some well known hits adapted to include lyrics fitting to the storyline as well as a very clever segment using song clips to tell a story.
The second act included some impressive 3D elements too which everyone could enjoy with the glasses provided.
Be prepared for raucous screaming and laughing here as the auditorium jumps around in their seats to avoid the gruesome things coming for them from the stage.
Oh, and if you booked a front row seat be prepared in case you catch the eye of Dame Trot…
Jack and the Beanstalk runs until 5 January.
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