Review: Jack and His Giant Stalk (Brick Lane Music Hall)

Review by Hywel Farrow-Wilton

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Panto season may have come and gone, but Brick Lane Music Hall has only just opened theirs. If you’re thinking “You can’t stage a panto in January” - my answer is “Oh yes you can!”. Their 2026 adult pantomime Jack and His Giant Stalk, is a completely filthy and utterly hilarious treat for the senses that blasts any and all January cobwebs well into next year. It’s a no-holds-barred, balls-to-the-wall romp that explodes onto the stage in glorious technicolour, grips you and does not let go until you give in to the magic and whimsy of all singing and dancing cows, “magic beans” that makes ones stalk grow an abnormally large length and more filthy jokes than an episode of South Park. 

Founded by Vincent Hayes MBE in 1992 Brick Lane Music Hall maintains a strong programme focused around the old Music Hall traditions of the early twentieth century, including their yearly adult pantomimes, which have been enjoying unrivalled success in recent years, including last year’s Pinocchio and His Wooden Whopper. This year’s offering of Jack and His Giant Stalk is set in the town of Loosebottom, where Jack lives with his mother, Dame Fanny, on their Dairy farm. Fairly traditional so far, but the story departs from the source text when the evil fairy Poison Ivy and her accomplice, Ophelia Loosebottom (the Giant’s Wife) raise the rent on the inhabitants of Loosebottom to fund their all-inclusive trip to Magaluf. Jack then swallows some aforementioned “Magic beans” in the shape of some blue pills with a V written on them and they all have to climb his stalk into Cloudland to battle the traitorous villains.

As with previous Brick Lane pantomimes, the ticket included a three-course dinner before the show began. The food was of a generic wedding reception standard but was still very delicious (especially the Mandarin and Prosecco cheesecake dessert). It’s a long evening, but the bar was in the room with the tables and was fully stocked with all the classic choices. It’s a great experience whether you book with a large group or even just with two people - with food and the show included in the price of the ticket, it felt like very good value for money. 

The show is written and directed by relative newcomer Lucy Hayes, whose work varies from radio to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Having written last year’s Brick Lane panto, she is back at it again. Hayes’ script is a work of utter comic genius, with how absurd and ridiculous it is. The jokes are unrelenting, not even laugh-a-minute but a laugh-a-second. Her puns are unrivalled (including my personal favourite of the “Abbattoir”), and she weaves in a mixture of classic hits such as Daisy the Cow’s Shania Twain number ‘Man, I Feel Like A Bovine’, with musical theatre numbers such as an Act One finale made up of a medley of songs from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

Hayes’ direction is packed full of theatrical flair, bursting with joy and never misses a chance to pack in another gag, a music hall sing-along or even a juggling routine. It’s so beautiful to see the reverence paid to music hall in the show, whilst also managing to pack it full of modern references, music and jokes. 

The show’s creative team are firing on all cylinders to create a show that exudes colourful splendour. The choreography by Brick Lane Music Hall’s creative producer Jordan Langford utilises the restrictions of the smaller stage extremely well, and his slick moves make the Musical Theatre songs pop and sparkle with camp delight. Scott Hayes as the musical director leads a mighty band of musicians and I honestly couldn’t believe that there were only three of them with the amount of noise they were making. They were an absolute pleasure to listen to, and the moments when they were referenced by the performers were very funny.

The set design by Shannon Topliss and the production design by Zara Kattan were, for me, what really made this show stand out from other pantomimes. Topliss’ set was very reminiscent of traditional panto, consisting of mostly painted curtains and flats to show location, and it was great to see the DIY aesthetic pulled off so well. Kattan’s production design was also second to none. I could not stop myself taking pictures of the hall decorated in red velvet and baubles giving a very cosy, Christmassy vibe, which was very welcome in January. As for the costumes - I’ve seen pantomimes where the Dame changes costume every scene, but this was on another level. The costumes were hired from supplier Syldon Costumes, and I would say they were worth the ticket price alone. I don’t want to spoil the surprises, but I will say that they were absolutely superb. 

The cast was the absolute definition of small but mighty, all practically bursting with energy and panto glee. Featuring Josh Benson as Jack Trott, whose highly infectious energy and expert juggling skills were a complete and utter delight. His cheeky winks and comments to the audience were always comedy gold. Andrew Robley as Dame Fanny Trott was a comedic genius - a Brick Lane panto favourite, and it’s clear to see why. His excellent rapport with the other performers and audience enable for many off-the-cuff jokes, his ability to change costumes at a breathtaking pace is bewildering, and his turn as Claudia Winkleman is probably going down as one of my theatrical highlights of the year.

Lucy Reed as Daisy the Cow brought stellar vocals and dancing alongside spot-on comedic timing. Some might say she was ‘udderly fabulous’. Charlotte Fage as Poison Ivy and Hayley-Jo Whitney as Ophelia Loosebottom were a fantastic villainous duo, relishing all the boos whilst also providing some powerhouse vocal moments. Samantha McNeil had some fantastic comedic moments as Jill, and I don’t think I will ever forget her ‘Defying Gravity’ riff moment. Jack Pallister is gloriously camp as the Spirit of the Beans, delivering many a hilarious innuendo as the fairy narrator of the show, paired with some great Musical Theatre songs. Rounding off the cast is Vincent Hayes himself as Willy Trott, delivering some genuinely laugh-out-loud jokes in traditional music hall style and leading the audience in a classic sing-along of music hall favourites at the end of the show. 

I don’t know if you can tell, but I had the absolute time of my life at this show. Its classic British humour is simply irresistible, and with so many fantastic performances, it’s an evening of theatrical bliss at its very best. Adults of all ages will fall in love with the funny characters, banging tunes and auditorium bar which sends everyone’s spirits sky high for an evening of sublime entertainment.  

Jack and His Giant Stalk plays at Brick Lane Music Hall until 7th March. Tickets from https://www.bricklanemusichall.co.uk/shows/pantomime/

Photos by Lucy Hayes