Jack and the Beanstalk at New Wimbledon Theatre.

Advertised as The Giant Pantomime Spectacular New Wimbledon Theatre plays host to Jack and the Beanstalk starring the incredible singer Alexandra Burke in the role of Mrs Blunderbone. Burke raised the roof of the auditorium on several occasions singing a couple of her well-known songs.

The storyline roughly sticks to the original storyline. Jack Trot (Benjamin Yates) sells his family cow for a bag of beans. When he arrives home his Mother Dame Trot (Ceri Dupree) is furious and throws them outside. Princess Jill (Natalie Chua) and Jack then set about rescuing the cow.

Silly Simon played by Joe Pasquale is Jack’s brother and their Mother, Dame Trot is played by the talented and gorgeous Ceri Dupree whose the perfect choice as the Dame.

However, for anyone who has never seen a Pantomime with the comedian and entertainer Joe Pasquale and the “faaaaaaaabulous” Ceri Dupree performing together, you are missing out. The duo have such a strong rapport and make everything they do together during the Pantomime funny and their interactions are timed perfectly. Being Panto it’s hard to tell of they have gone off script or if it’s part of the act.

Jack and the Beanstalk offers comedy, familiar pantomime songs and some impressive special effects. My daughter asked me how he was flying on the motorbike into the audience during one scene and I wouldn’t tell her the secret. That’s the magic of panto and far be it for me to dispell it.

Dupree has a dedicated team working on his costumes, headdresses, jewelry, and Wigs. Each time the Dame enters the stage another “faaaaaaaabulous” outfit appears. The colours and details that go into these costumes are by far some of the best quality I have seen in a Pantomime before and I lost count of the number of costume changes. The Dame has to be dressed over the top and these costumes live up to that but with a touch of class added.

One my favourite parts in any pantomime although not all do it. Is the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song where three or four cast members bring on items which “their true love” brings to them during the festive season. The variation in each song can be any item added to the list that has comedy value.

Writer Alan McHugh has written a pantomime that plays to the strengths of the cast and allows Pasquale to have some superb one-liners and get up to a range of antics that keep the audience engaged throughout the performance.