[Ad-gifted] #Feefifofum ! This year’s Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime at Crewe Lyceum Theatre delivers the kind of pantomime magic audiences crave year after year. Bursting with non-stop comedy, cheeky innuendos and slapstick banter, this panto brings families, near and far, together for an evening of entertainment which has become their yearly tradition.
For us personally, as a family, it is always a joy to head to Crewe Lyceum, a historic Edwardian venue in the heart of Crewe. Its ornate interior and intimate setting makes it a perfect venue for live performance such as the panto where the audience want to be as close as they can to the actors so they are able to interact and join in the fun.
This year’s panto features The Trotts who are so poor they don’t have a bean to their name and what’s more, there’s an evil and greedy giant terrifying the village. Will they really have to sell their beloved cow Buttercup just to survive? Will Jack defeat the giant and win the heart of the girl he loves and turn the Trotts’ fortunes around?
Once again, the Lyceum did not disappoint with its mix of dastardly villain, a hapless comic and a hilarious panto dame, as well as fabulous musical numbers and bags of slapstick fun. Keep on reading to find out more about the panto and what we thought of it!
What did we think of Jack and the Beanstalk?
From the very first moment we stepped into the Lyceum, the atmosphere was just electric. Little kids running around with their novelty panto merchandise with its flashy lights just added the sparkle to the atmosphere.
The theatre was at full capacity and you could feel the excitement and buzz. Soon as the announcement started, suddenly deafening silence befalls the theatre, but just for a moment.
Until Ste Johnston who plays Simon Trott with charm, walks onto the stage and all hell breaks lose with the crowd bursting into cheers. It is wonderful to see young children being so confident in shouting out to Johnston and even heckling him at times, in good manner. I could see that the crowd comprising of little ones, teenagers as well as their grandparents were immediately switched on, waiting in anticipation, for the next moment.
Who would have guessed that the Dame, Malcolm Lord has appeared in 41 pantos in total and this is his 9th panto at the Lyceum Theatre! He is back this time playing Dame Trot. His performance was an absolute riot especially with perfectly timed double entendres and physical comedy that has the audience roaring with laughter. Lord’s rapport with the crowd is outstanding as he seems to thrive on their responses, improvising and reacting in ways that make each performance feel fresh and spontaneous. The comic exchanges between Lord and Johnston are particularly strong and together they form a double act that works beautifully.
Supported by Jennifer Ellison (from Brookside) who shines as the villainous Poison Ivy and delivers a performance that is deliciously wicked without being frightening as she embraces every boos that is thrown her way. David Gilbrook plays Squire O’Dwyer whilst Ollie Hard-Bradford and Beth Lyons play Jack and Jill so effortlessly and their performance shines brightly through the night. Fairy Flora played by Eliza Waters accompanied by the Junior Ensemble was such a joy to watch.
One of the great strengths of Crewe pantomime is its unapologetic embrace of local humour, where references of Crewe are sprinkled generously throughout the script. These moments reinforcing why local audiences keep going back to the Lyceum Theatre year after year.
Visually, the production is bright, bold and impressively staged with a fabulous set design and over the top costumes, creating a magical world that feels larger than life with scene changes done effortlessly. My favourite highlights on the night includes when Giant Blunderbore made his larger-than-life appearance, dominating the stage, I do wish there was more stage time for the giant though. As well as when Buttercup came on stage, what an absolute show-stealer! Judging by the audience’s response, Buttercup may well be the production’s secret weapon.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Crewe Lyceum Theatre is a joyful, laugh-out-loud pantomime which delivers high-energy performances with expected crowd participation and moments of comedy brilliance. Go see it with your whole family, as it will create memories for years to come!
Cast
Poison Ivy Jennifer Ellison
Dame Malcolm Lord
Simon Trott Ste Johnston
Squire O’Dwyer David Gilbrook
Jack Ollie Hart-Bradford
Jill O’Dwyer Beth Lyons
Fairy Flora Eliza Waters
Giant Blunderbore Lloyd Rhys and Tom Solent
Buttercup Ema Astarloa and Sian Fournillier
Ensemble/Understudy Ema Astarloa, Sian Fournillier, Lloyd Rhys and Tom Solent
Band
Musical Director/Keys Christopher Bond
Drums Joel Mulley-Goodbarne
Bass Wes Wood
Creatives
Associate Producer Callum Roberts
Writer Louise Redmond
Writer Tam Ryan
Director David McNeill
Choreographer Jenny Phillips
Musical Arranger Steve Clark
Musical Director Christopher Bond
Sound Designer Kate Harvey
Lighting Designer Carl Knapper
Wardrobe Supervisor Amy Whittaker
How much do the tickets cost?
Tickets are priced between £14 to £40.
How do I book tickets to watch Jack and the Beanstalk?
Tickets can be booked by calling the box office at 0343 310 0050 or by visiting Crewe Lyceum’s website here.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
The show will be running until Sunday, 4 January 2026. Evening shows at 5pm and 7pm while matinee shows will be at at 1pm, 1.30pm, 2pm and 3pm. Please check Crewe Lyceum’s website for the exact date and timings.
Accessibility
BSL Interpreted: Mon 29 Dec 2025 at 7.00pm
Relaxed: Tue 30 Dec 2025 at 1.00pm
Where is Crewe Lyceum Theatre?
The Crewe Lyceum is Cheshire’s historic Edwardian theatre and a Trafalgar Entertainment venue. Established in 1911, the theatre has been thrilling and delighting audiences with the best of drama, comedy, variety and more for over a century – and counting. Every year more than 23,000 theatregoers attend the annual Crewe Lyceum pantomime, and audiences shouldn’t wait to secure their seats for Cheshire’s favourite family pantomime.
About Imagine Theatre
Imagine Theatre are an innovative, award-winning theatre production company offering spectacular entertainment for the whole family across the UK. Building on a legacy of family entertainment stretching back over 25 years, Imagine Theatre – led by husband-and-wife team Steve and Sarah Boden and supported by an amazing team of professionals – have produced more than 260 professional pantomimes and multiple children’s theatre tours.
Their family friendly shows have won multiple awards and have been received by audiences of all ages with huge positivity and to great critical acclaim. In the last three years, Imagine Theatre have received over thirty nominations from the UK Pantomime Association Awards, winning seven, including awards for the Best Set and Best Pantomime over 900 seats. They were nominated for eleven awards across ten categories for the 2024/25 pantomime season.
You may want to read this:
Review: Cinderella at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre
Review: Aladdin at Crewe Lyceum Theatre
Review: Sleeping Beauty at Crewe Lyceum Theatre
Review: Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman at Crewe Lyceum Theatre
Photo credit: Crewe Lyceum/Wes Webster Photography
* We were provided with press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions are our own.
26 comments
I do love panto when the lights dim and the band strike up, the stage fills with colour and light and Jack and the Beanstalk is a classic panto and sounds like you all had a great time
We had an amazing night thank you, always fun heading to the Lyceum Theatre
I haven’t been to watch a pantomime in years! This Jack and the Beanstalk panto sounds like a great production, it sounds like you had a marvellous time!
I know you would totally love watching Jack and the Beanstalk Lucy
That is soooooo so cool. Such a classic story. I would love to see it live in the theatre, that would be amazing.
Hope you do get the chance as its on all this month
I love the energetic, comedic twist they brought to the classic. I can almost feel the kenetic joy when I look at these photos.
Absolutely and one which was electrifying indeed
Pantomimes are such a blast because seeing a giant beanstalk on stage always brings back great childhood memories.
Absolutely and they did it so well that it did look like a giant stalk
You’ve done your fair share of pantos this year. To me this one feels like such a traditional panto with the over the top costumes/ makeup and it just sounds like a lot of silly fun x
It certainly was over the top, silly and out of this worth and we loved it
What a colorful play for the whole family to see. I would really enjoy this one.
Super colourful, with sparkly lights making us feel all Christmas ready
Wow, the costumes look fantastic. I am sure this is a great play to see!
Yes it was indeed
One more awesome panto to add to my panto collection list. Thanks for the suggestion.
You are so welcome, great costumes, cast and all set in the wonderful Crewe Lyceum theatre
This sounds like such a fun panto and you really captured the buzz of the crowd energy. Buttercup stealing the show and all that audience interaction alone makes it feel like a must-see.
Spot on. Such a great cast, story line and fabulous energy
Wow, it sounds like your Dame had a lot of experience! I love pantos, and this one sounds fantastic.
Oh yes indeed! This is one panto worth watching
This sounds like a fun production. It is nice to see some creative shows out there. I like that there are shows like this you can enjoy as a whole family.
It was indeed, we had a great night watching it
Jack and the bean stalk was my first ever panto I visited at Xmas , it’s always been a favourite of mine
How lovely to hear that, hope this one lives up to your expectations