Jack and the Beanstalk at  the Festival Theatre Edinburgh*****

Each year I believe capitaltheatres’ panto can’t be bettered. And each year I am proved wrong!

This year’s production, with a set from the London Palladium, really is an assault on your senses. From the moment it explodes into life, it’s like being catapulted into a spectacular, candy-coloured world of excess, with glitz and glitter by the bucketload, mind-popping lighting and costumes created in Heaven. The image above just doesn’t do it justice.

Just the presentation makes it a winner, but as we Edinburgh panto regulars know, what makes it really special are the performances from Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young and the rapport they share.

After eight years of seeing Stewart on and off stage I still can’t get my head round his transformation into Aunty May or, as he is this year, Dame May McTrot. The mannerisms, especially the walk, the voice… and the legs, have made me his/her biggest fan. So it is especially enjoyable to see a video looking back at his 28 years as dame, with a parody called I Have Survived, written by him – for he not only excels as dame but is also a gifted writer (and co-writer of the panto), singer and, as we get to see, a talented impressionist (his impression of Alan Carr winning Celebrity Traitors goes down particularly well, as does the ‘Traitors’ scene with Stewart appearing as Claudia Winkleman – there is no end to what this man can do!)

Stewart’s partner-in-crime, Grant Stott, once again makes a menacing appearance as the baddie, Fleshcreep. His attempts to silence the audience with his customary Shoosh, is now legendary (as is his corpsing!), but he isn’t as scary as the Giant, who may prove too frightening for younger kids but is nonetheless awesome.

Making up the terrific trio is Jordan Young, who is everybody’s pal as Jack. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with someone who is kind-hearted, vulnerable and who can entertain us with tongue-twisting monologues at twice the speed of sound! And climb a gigantic beanstalk!

Clare Gray plays Pat the Cow with attitude and aspirations to be a star, which she is, and the cast is completed by Gail Watson as Spirit of the Beans and Amber Sylvia Edwards as Princess Jill who can really belt out their songs.

If you can take time off to let your aching face recover from laughing so much and a day or so to get your voice back after whooping and cheering, get booking. I can tell you, the pain is worth it!

Image: Douglas Robertson

Jack and the Beanstalk is at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh until January 11.

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