The Rep, Birmingham – until Saturday 31st December 2022
Reviewed by Nadia Dodd
4****
Most children know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk but this adaptation was extremely creative and interactive with the audience, both for children and adults alike.
With a cast of only 3, Jack (Sam Butters), Mum (Nataylia Roni) and Cian (Dominic Rye) use the clever set to their advantage enticing the younger audience members to be fully involved in the story.
Quirky little songs, actions and dancing get the children immersed in the story right from the beginning where we are introduced to Jack and his Mum. They have each other, their little house and not much else. Jack loves his Mum, Jack also loves his food and when Mum doesn’t have much else to offer Jack to eat, she comes up with a plan to sell their cow, Daisy in exchange for golden coins to then buy food.
Jack tries to follow his Mum’s instructions to go to market, sell Daisy and return the coins to Mum, but this doesn’t go to plan when Jack comes across a funny little man who tricks him into exchanging Daisy for ‘magic’ beans.
Imaginative puppetry for Daisy the cow and when Jack’s Mum throws out the ‘magic’ beans which then grows a very large beanstalk Jack is then replaced with a small Jack puppet who bravely climbs the beanstalk and discovers the giant…….Fee Fi Fo Fum…..
The show is aimed at 3-6 year old along with their grown up’s. The show last approx 1 hour just long enough to hold their concentration. Every performance also features some Makaton singing. Some days the cast are putting on up to 3 shows which will appeal to families who can then chose a time to coincide their child’s schedule.
Fun, colourful, bright and joyful I would certainly recommend to young families. After seeing the children’s reactions and hearing their laughter I would say this show is proving a hit introducing young children to live theatre performances.