Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield- until 31st December 2022
Review by Rebecca Hampson
4.5****
A pantomime at Christmas is a British tradition, the “It’s behind you” chorus is a sound that brings laughter and joy to those of all ages. Huddersfield’s Panto of this year, Jack and the Beanstalk, was one that brought laughter and Christmas cheer to all in the audience.
No pantomime is complete without their Dame, and Dame Trott played by Pete Toon was fabulous. They added a sparkle to the stage as each costume changed developed the characterisation of the Dame and allowed the audience to fall more in love. Their interaction with the audience was thrilling and truly allowed everyone to feel a part of the production.
It was a pleasant surprise to see the incredible Alyce Liburd again after seeing her perform in Road at Oldham Colleseium. This time she took upon the role of Jill, shining in the musical numbers and proving that girls don’t need boys (or men) they are capable themselves too.
The star of the show for me was the one and only Pat the Cow, not Cow Pat “because that would be disgusting”. Emily Spowage truly embodied this role in every sense of the word and I found myself in hysterics at her sassy take on the humble cow. If you ever wanted to see a cow do a death drop this is the show to see.
This Panto reminded me of why we are so lucky to have the theatre, the arts, and those who create it. It’s shows like this that bring joy to those of all ages and inspire the next generation of young artists. This truly was one of the best pantomimes I’ve seen in a long time. I laughed from curtain rising to closing.
Be sure to get yourself down to the theatre this Christmas and enjoy the true magic of Panto.