Review

Jack and the Beanstalk

Playhouse Theatre, Whitstable

TAKE a leading man with a bad cold, malfunctioning music and a cranky curtain and what do you get?

It sounds like a recipe for disaster but somehow the Lindley Players managed to cook up a triumph with their production of Jack and the Beanstalk at Whitstable's Playhouse Theatre on the opening night.

Russell Sutton would not have been my first choice as the dashing hero Jack but he battled bravely with a sore throat and seemed to have dosed himself up in the interval because the second half was much better.

Newcomer Richard Adams, in his first comedy role, stood out as Jack's hapless half-brother Simple Simon.

Impressive lighting from Chris Hatton meant evil witch Piccalilli (Cheryl Mumford) was scarily green until her transformation in the finale and the ever-so-pink Fairy Sugardust (Faversham schoolteacher Hannah Rogers) made good use of firecrackers whenever she arrived on stage.

Larry Dobin put in a fine and funny performance as Dame Dotty Dibble although it seemed strange not seeing retired GP Howard Lee on stage in a dress in his usual role.

The kids also fell in love with Buttermilk the cow helped by Dan Coles and Billy Dean.

But the real stars were the bad guys: legendary comedy duo Bob Spaul and Glyn Maflin who were at their hilarious best as Snatchet and Scarper the Broker's Men. Their water-squirting VATmobile was brilliant.

Former Rubber Biscuit singer Chris Coates oozed comedy as Rancid the giant's henchman and based his character on the hump-backed Rif Raf from the Rocky Horror Show.

The chorus and dancers deserve special mention for not only coping with some demanding singing and dance routines (including Reach by S Club 7 and Gimme Gimme Gimme by Abba) but also for covering up when a CD stuck.

The black light ultra violet scene where the beanstalk grows was truly magical and the ogre himself, Giant Gutbucket played on stilts by Kent Circus School director Steve Powell and designed and built by Stuart Webb, was the best I have ever seen.

Even the mouth on his mask moved in time with the words.

It was a long show but the time whizzed by in a flash of magic and mayhem. While it was not the most professional Lindleys' production I have seen it was still fantastically entertaining. I'm not surprised tickets have sold out.

Also in the cast are Keith Holness and author Lesley Cookman as King Hubert and Queen Hyacinth, Katy Campbell as Princess Primrose and Amy Griffith as the singing harp. The show is directed by Peter Hunt.

Liz Crudgington.

* Jack and the Beanstalk is at the Playhouse, Whitstable, until Saturday, January 30. For details of cancellations, call the box office on 01227 272042.