Showing @ The King’s Theatre until 23 Jan
With its flagrant metaphor for growing up, in every sense of the term, the Jack and the Beanstalk fairytale was an easy choice for the peerlessly puerile King’s panto, an Edinburgh Christmas entertainment staple that for those in the capital is a bit like Christmas pudding; you’re not sure if it’s all that good for you, but it doesn’t quite feel like Christmas without it. It’s also as formulaic as stocking filler, with Allan Stewart back as the dame and Grant Stott as the leering, jeering villain (who this year may have stolen the show with his incessant sprog startling). But the sparkly show also sees the return of Andy Gray after his three year Glasgow-bound hiatus, and there’s a warm sense reunion that the cast play off.
Within the framework of Jack’s quest to kill the Giant, director Paul Elliott keeps the pace frantic, delivering the the usual gags knocking everything from X-Factor to the inept management of the Edinburgh trams (that particular joke ain’t going nowhere for a while). But the King’s panto is also always marked by its shamelessly showy visuals, and this year we’re treated to a vibrant luminous plant-dance sequence and an impressive scene in which Stewart flies across the auditorium in a motorcycle. It is of course always a hit and miss affair, with some gags rather half-baked, like Gray spouting “You’re as useless as a coalition” (if you’re going to bring it up, say something about it). But for those who like their pantos fast, vibrant and sincerely silly, this year’s show is worth trading the family cow for.