Jack and the Beanstalk at Gala Durham – review (AD)
We were kindly invited to Jack and the Beanstalk at Gala Durham in exchange for an honest review.*
With our tickets collected from the box office we got our snacks – soft drinks and popcorn – then headed to our seats.
We couldn’t resist the foam finger and nabbed a blue one for Elsie.
The snacks are reasonably priced and the queues go down quickly.
Pre-show we popped to the toilets and nabbed a red booster seat and got ourselves settled.
Jack and the Beanstalk synopsis
Fe-Fi-Fo-FUN!
A long, long time ago when magic still existed, in a small village on the outskirts of an ancient city lives our hero, Jack.
A brave and kind-hearted young lad with big dreams who works hard to make ends meet for him and his loving and eccentric mother.
But…everything changes the day Jack is offered some “magic beans” by a mysterious stranger with the promise they will change his life.
Join Jack and his friends as we are transported to a land of magical creatures and a very hungry Giant.
With beautiful costumes, hilarious gags, dazzling dance routines and sing-along songs, come along on an adventure in our GIANT twist on the classic tale!
Will Jack and his friends defeat his enemies and save the day? Oh no he won’t…Oh yes, he will!
Cast
Kieron Michael: Jack
Jude Nelson: Muddles
Sarah Bulmer: Mrs Tinkler
Adam Donaldson: Professor Hangclaw
Lucy Davis: Bridget
Susie Barrett: Bronwen
Accessible performances
Gala Durham will have a number of accessible performances of Jack and the Beanstalk including a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted performance on Saturday 6 December, 2.00pm and a captioned performance on Saturday 13 December, 6.30pm.
Audio described performance
Gala Durham will have an audio described performance of Jack and the Beanstalk on Saturday 6 December, 6.30pm.
What did we think of Jack and the Beanstalk?
Having loved our first-time as a family experience of pantomime with Beauty and the Beast last year, we were excited for Jack and the Beanstalk at the Gala Durham.
Sporting our Christmas cardigans and having practised our booing, we were ready for the full panto experience.
Panto season has officially arrived, and this year’s Jack and the Beanstalk at Gala Durham is an absolute cracker.
Set right here in the North East – in Consett, no less – this year’s production delivers everything that makes pantomime so special: big laughs, big characters, big songs, and even bigger surprises falling from the roof!
From the moment the curtain lifted with a jaunty opening number, the energy in the theatre was infectious.
The cast threw themselves into the chaos with gusto, and the audience was on board from the very first “Yoohoo!” and “They’re behind you!” – all the classic moments we know and love.
We recognised almost all of the cast from last year and they were all magnificent.
A North East Adventure with a Modern Twist
I loved the sprinkle of local references throughout.
Blyth, Gateshead, Teesside – you name it, it was mentioned.
The script was dotted with nods designed to delight kids (6 7, Fortnight references and some toilet humour) through to the grown-ups in the crowd, with topical digs at Donald Trump and Elon Musk sneaking in for good measure.
Set in Consett, the story follows Jack – with a sweet budding romance between him and Bridget – and their quest with his best friend Muddles to save Jack’s family dairy by taking the Giant’s treasure.
Can Jack stay awake long enough to complete his quest?
The second half transports the audience up the beanstalk and into the giant’s lair, complete with daring escapes, heaps of magic, and plenty of laughs.
Magic, Music and Mayhem
The musical numbers were a real highlight.
Contemporary hits were woven throughout, including “Golden”, “Pink Pony Club”, and “Ordinary”, all performed with huge energy and impressive vocals.
Not only can this fantastic cast act, they can certainly sing too, and the supporting dancers and the whole production – from the backdrops and music to the clever special effects – came together beautifully to create a truly magical, high-energy show that never missed a beat.
Younger audience members were absolutely loving it.
Elsie clapped, cheered, shimmied and booed throughout the performance she absolutely loved every minute.
And what’s a panto without magic? This show had it all – pyrotechnics, sparkles, a golden goose, and even characters talking to animals.
Muddles kept everyone guessing… are they actually magical after all?
Audience Participation (And a Surprise for Steve!)
No one was safe from being involved – in the best possible way.
Jack even came out into the audience, and poor Steve, sat at the end of the aisle, was challenged to a fight.
Safe to say, this had the whole row (and beyond) in absolute stitches.
The silliness peaked when Muddles and Mrs Tinkler appeared wielding super soakers filled with oat milk. Yes, oat milk.
If you are in the splash zone like we were… well, consider it part of the experience!
Elsie had her own magical moment too, being handed a little bag of “magic beans” – jelly babies – which absolutely made her night.
A Fantastic Family Day Out
The atmosphere was wonderfully festive.
Most people had come dressed in their Christmas jumpers and sparkly outfits, making the whole theatre feel extra special.
It was busy, lively, and full of excited families.
Snacks, ice creams, lollies, and drinks were available to buy during the interval, and judging by the queues, they went down very well.
The grand finale brought everyone together for a big singalong – the perfect way to round off a truly joyful show.
Final Thoughts
Jack and the Beanstalk at Gala Durham is everything a panto should be: funny, colourful, chaotic, magical, and bursting with heart.
With a brilliant villain in Adam Donaldson, heaps of North East charm, upbeat musical numbers, and fun for all ages, it’s a fantastic festive outing.
We thoroughly enjoyed it – a giant-sized hit for our family.
Purchase tickets via the box office or online via the Gala Durham website.
Tickets are from £10, a family ticket is from £70.
Jack and the Beanstalk runs until Wednesday 31 December 2025.
A huge thank you to Gala Durham for the tickets we loved our second family panto trip and can’t wait for next year’s pantomime.
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*Disclaimer
This review has been written with 100% honesty.
I was not financially compensated for this post. I was invited to this show in return for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own based on my own experience.
If you would like your company/service featured on rachaelstray.com either in the form of review, sponsored post or an advertising slot, please feel free to contact me at rachaelstray@gmail.com
Please visit my contact/work with me page for more information.
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