JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

The Alban Arena, St Albans

Saturday, December 27

I’m not really a pantomime kind of girl.

The whole thing sounds a bit noisy for me so it is after a large glass of wine that I take my seat at the Alban Arena for Jack and The Beanstalk.

The Alban Arena’s far from bargain basement production boasts a ‘real’ giant, a huge supporting cast and the legendary Cannon and Ball so if I am to see a panto it may as well be a really good quality one.

Far from sounding like Scrooge I actually enjoyed myself. Cannon and Ball were funny; their caustic one liners and end of the pier style gags won over both the kids and their parents alike.

I enjoyed throwing foam rocks at the giant, I enjoyed the hilarious gruff voiced pantomime dame and I even enjoyed the strangled cat rendition of one of the songs from High School Musical.

A low point, I must say, came halfway through the second half when an over excited child (or heaven forbid adult) soiled themselves a couples of rows from our seats plunging our entire seating area into some kind of horrendous stench purgatory. It was eye wateringly bad, but par for the course I guess at what is essentially a children’s event. It just made me realise that I am not ready to be a parent any time soon. IAlthough on leaving the auditorium I was happy to smell the clean St Albans air I wouldn’t have not gone to the Panto. I just don’t know if I would go again in a hurry.