Panto is my favourite Christmas tradition with the family and Jack and the Beanstalk at the Bournemouth Pavilion is full of glitz and glamour, chart topping songs, special effects, mayhem, family friendly gags and plenty of audience participation!

The story is set in Boggy Bottom and the villainous Fleshcreep needs to get his hands on a cow to feed the scary giant.  When Jack’s mum needs to sell Daisy the Cow to pay the bills she’s taken off to market and sold to a disguised Fleshcreep for a bag of magical beans.  Of course they’re just normal beans until a sparkly fairy works her magic and a huge beanstalk appears!

Every panto has to have a Dame and Jacks mother has extravagant costumes and plenty of cheeky gags.  Jacks brother is Silly Simon and any scene with him in is hilarious.

Jacks best friend is a brave Princess and she gets kidnapped by Flashcreep and taken to the giant, so Jack offers to go find her and save Daisy the Cow from being eaten.

In the interval you can collect your 3D special effects glasses from the foyer and you’ll know when to use them.  This was a highlight for me and I really enjoyed listening to the kids screeching when certain parts made you jump.

The whole cast are just brilliant including the fairy, the King (who has the hots for Jacks mum) and the dancers, some of which are adorable and very professional children.  And we can’t forget Daisy the Cow with her top performance.

Jack and the Beanstalk is running until Sunday 5th January 2025 with evening and matinee performances.  For more information and tickets, please visit Bournemouth Pavilion.

Dorsetmums was invited for the purpose of a review however all words are my own.

The Glass Slippers is a charming alternative to a traditional Christmas pantomime and suitable for younger children aged 3+.

The performance is held in The Sterling Studio at Lighthouse Poole and because the room is much smaller than the theatre you can get up close with the cast and feel part of the show.

The 3 brilliant actors are made up of Cinderella and her parents who then go on to play different characters.  The show is a modern take on a classical tale and Cinderella hates living with her screen loving twin sisters but as the story unfolds she then finds out they’re not so bad after all.  The sisters love watching the Prince on their pads and when Cinderella meets the lonely Prince on the beach one day he pretends his name is Buttons.  There’s going to be a big party with the Prince and with the help of Cinderella’s lost mother, she receives a sparkly pair of Glass Slippers.  Will she meet the Prince and find out who he really is? You’ll have to go and find out!

I loved the likable characters, alternative ending and use of props to tell the story.  Whilst the show is promoted for children aged 3+, my 8 year old daughter was fixated and her attention never left the story.  We both thoroughly enjoyed The Glass Slipper, especially the music and singing, humour and Christmas magic.

Tutti Frutti Productions will be performing The Glass Slippers on selected dates from now until Tuesday 24th December 2024.  For more information and tickets, please visit Lighthouse Poole.

Image Credit: Brian Slater

Dorsetmums was invited to The Glass Slipper for the purpose of a review however all words are my own.