Hurst clown prince of panto kingdom

Anna Hewlett (Jack), Jason Smith (Yehundi) and Michael Hurst (Widow) ham it up.

The shabby, neglected St James Theatre briefly regained some of its lost grandeur when Michael Hurst and a crew of eccentrics transported a pre-teen audience into the realm of pure pantomime.

Theirs is a madcap world that gives free reign to the imagination. But as is fitting for a media-savvy generation, the magic is served up with loads of irony. At every turn the production draws attention to the process of storytelling and the hidden machinery of theatre is laid bare as the cast rewinds the action, consults the stage manager, complain about their agents and argue with the musical director.

The Widow Twankey is an inspired creation from a man who lives and breathes theatricality. From the moment he tumbles on to the stage, Hurst commands attention with his brilliantly physical clowning, perfectly timed asides and unflagging energy.

The actors were all of a high standard but were often upstaged by John Verryt's spectacular set. His superb cut-outs swoop into place to create parallel dimensions, interplanetary travel, a magic beanstalk and a King Kong-like giant.

Musical director Jason Smith delivers a lively score with some catchy songs. The stock characters familiar from the fairytale are supplemented by some imaginatively conceived aliens who bring a comic energy that connects with the younger members of the audience.

The standout performance comes with Jonathan Brugh's AdamAnt, whose identity crisis prompts a musical showstopper.

At times the zany antics of the aliens overwhelm the narrative that give the story its enduring appeal.

Jack is never allowed to make the crucial transformation from a simpleton into an audacious trickster.

He remains a one-note character and, as the story reaches its crisis, he is spared the ordeal of facing the giant through the timely intervention of of the aliens.

As a result, the audience never gets a chance to really identify with the hero and the emotional power of the story is diminished.

However, this defect was largely masked by Hurst's flawless sense of what appeals to a young audience and the sheer energy of the performance.

Review

* What: Jack and the Beanstalk
* Where: St James Theatre
* Reviewer: Paul Simei-Barton