Malvern Theatres Pantomime 2025 – Jack and the Beanstalk: Review
Ad – tickets gifted for the purpose of a review
Malvern Theatres Pantomime has always been one of our favourite Christmas traditions, but the addition of a third dimension made it even more exciting. With Mark James on his eighth year of Malvern Pantos, he can feel free to forget his classic lines because the audience is always willing to say them for him. The cast is always brilliant, but this year, Tom Lister is back so it’s better than ever. He played Captain Hook in Peter Pan a few years ago and is indisputably fabulous. Equally fun are the upbeat songs, humour and festive atmosphere at Malvern Theatres. We headed to opening night of Jack and the Beanstalk with high hopes.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Malvern Theatres: The Story
Scary Fleshcreep is collecting taxes for his boss, the giant at the top of the beanstalk. He’s skulking around the village in search of Jack and Silly Billy Trott and their mum, Dame Dot. Fleshcreep is joined by Spirit of the Beans, who is determined to stop him from causing trouble.
When the Trott family run out of money, they’re forced to sell their treasured cow, Daisy. Jack is sent to take her to market, and Fleshcreep cons him into accepting some beans in return for the cow. Spirit of the Beans is on hand to help, casting a spell on the beans that means something magical will happen when they’re thrown into the compost heap.
As always, Mark James’ character is on hand to lighten the mood. This year, he’s Silly Billy and he’s determined to team up with his big brother Jack to climb the beanstalk. As the story progresses into the second half, Silly Billy and the team are on hand with buckets of fun and jokes to get everyone in the festive mood.
Though the giant has captured Jill Pickle, her hero Jack on his family are on hand to sweep in and rescue her. Daisy’s in luck too, no beef on the menu for the giant this Christmas. And it’s time for the whole family to head home. But not without encountering some strange characters – from ghosts to snakes to the giant himself.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Malvern Theatres: The Cast and Crew
Malvern’s favourite funny man Mark James is always the shining star of the panto. But when Tom Lister’s on stage as well, they make a hilarious pairing. Malvern pantomime never disappoints the audience when it comes to a selection of jokes that appeal to both adults and children. Even the teens are catered for, although I’m told that Mark James did six-seven wrong, which is totally cringe.
The full cast list is:
- Fleshcreep: Tom Lister
- Silly Billy: Mark James
- Dame Dot Trott: Nick Wilton
- Jill Pickle: Ruth Betteridge
- Spirit of the Beans: Ella Holt
- Jack Trott: Joshua Price
- Ensemble: Owen Bagnall, Kathy Bancroft, Benjamin Kempton, Meg Luscombe, Libby McGarry, Freya Nicole Woods
- Dancers: Cecilia Hall Dance Centre
The Verdict
Whilst we always love the Malvern Pantomime, there were a couple of things that really elevated it this year. We’re big fans of Tom Lister, he plays a fantastic camp villain. The songs were extremely catchy and whilst the set is always big, bold and exciting, Jack and the Beanstalk’s scenes were the best we’ve seen.
Without giving too much away, the giant was created in 3D. Glasses were given out to the audience at the interval and when the characters ascend the beanstalk, a whole new world comes to life. There were ghosts, snakes, flying objects and of course the giant himself.
As always, it’s a high-energy show full of brilliant performers and put together by an incredible behind-the-scenes team. There’s a lovely family feel to this show, and plenty of audience participation from adults and children alike. There were some great songs too, both older ones like “Don’t Stop Me Now” and a few that have become popular in recent years through musicals, minecraft and social media.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Malvern Theatres: FAQs
When is Malvern Theatres Pantomime 2025-26 Jack and the Beanstalk showing?
11th to 17th, 19th to 24th and 26th to 31st December 2025 and 2nd to 4th January 2026.
Where can you buy tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk at Malvern Theatres?
Tickets for both Jack and the Beanstalk AND next year’s Malvern Theatres panto, Aladdin are now available to buy from the Malvern Theatres website.
How long does Jack and the Beanstalk last?
Around two and a half hours including the interval.
When is the BSL interpreted performance of Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime at Malvern Theatres?
21st December 2025 at 5pm
When is the relaxed performance of Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime at Malvern Theatres?
2nd January 2026 at 10.30am
When is the audio-described performance of Jack and the Beanstalk?
The 17th December performance at 1pm will be Audio Described. A touch tour takes place prior to this performance at 11.30am.
How do you get a mention at the pantomime?
To get a shoutout for someone, just pop into the box office just before the performance starts and give them a written note with details of what you want them to say. There’s no extra cost and it’s really straightforward.
