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Jack and the Beanstalk

Dundee Rep

Three stars

 

Jack may not be the only one full of beans in Dundee Rep’s festive reimagining of the classic English fairy story, but they certainly keep him out of view. The star of Jonathan O’Neill and Isaac Savage’s new ‘mooosical’ take on the story is Caroline the Cow, a sassy Highland breed who is milked for all she’s worth to make Jack’s mum and dad’s ice cream business liquid. When Jack’s dad dies everything dries up, alas, as Caroline is farmed out to the Happy Smiles Petting Zoo, where she falls in with a musical trio made up of a hen, a pig and a llama. 

 

While a blinged up Jack and his mum Sherry strike gold from their raids up the beanstalk, it is left to Caroline and her flock/pack/herd to shimmy up and sort things out for good. Throw in a half man, half harp and an increasingly benevolent sounding Giant, and by the end everyone’s back in business, including some for whom it has to be the one of show. 

 

Stephen Whitson’s production is a slickly realised affair, played out on a magical looking set by designer Kenneth MacLeod by a well drilled ten strong cast led by an effervescent Suzie McAdam as Caroline. There is strong comic support too from Lucy Hutchison, Mairi Barclay and Lorraine Graham as what is effectively an animal girl band. As Jack, Ronan O’Hara forms a slightly partnership with Laura Lovemore as Sherry. Not that he’s around much, as he pretty much becomes a bit part player in what is usually his show. 

 

In his absence, the plethora of power ballads and showtunes give things the air of a well turned out Crackerjack panto by way of a cheesy Fringe pastiche. The unseen presence of Brian Cox playing god as he gives voice to the Giant in avuncular fashion is the icing on the cake in a show that wears its musical theatre chops on its hooves, trotters, claws and anything else that keeps things moving - sorry, mooving - until the cows - or Jack - come home.


The Herald, December 12th 2025

 

Ends

 

 

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