Jack and the Beanstalk review – ‘moooosical’ caper gives the cow’s eye view
Dundee Rep
This hazily dramatised show is full of pizzazz and features the voice of Brian Cox but in making Jack as cynical as his mum it loses the story’s heart
Do not be misled by the title. This is a takeover. Not only has this Jack and the Beanstalk gone from fairy story to panto to musical, but Jack has been relegated to second billing. To be accurate, this “new moooosical” by Jonathan O’Neill and Isaac Savage should be called Caroline and the Beanstalk, Caroline being the name of the highland cow who is adopted by Jack’s family and becomes sole supplier of milk for their Glen and Sherry’s brand of ice-cream.
Played by an excellent Suzie McAdam, all ginger hair and stoicism, she is treated as an equal until the business fails. Then, it only takes a few magic beans for her to wind up in the Happy Smiles Petting Zoo, being prodded by unseen children while trying to hatch an escape plan with a hen, a llama and a pig. After some sub-Wallace and Gromit shenanigans, she is back home and ready to sort out the fickle Jack (Ronan O’Hara) and his troublesome beanstalk.
At Dundee Rep until 30 December
