It is one of the more curious quirks of the pantomime that the villain always steals the show. The pantomime exists in the simple world of fairy tales, where happy-ever-afters are guaranteed. If that makes the baddies less threatening, it also makes them more likeable, and in Karl Harpur’s version of Jack and the Beanstalk for TheatreworX at the Helix, Lord Flatulant (the last ‘t’ is silent) is the unequivocal star. Eoin Cannon’s Flatulant, Baron of Ballybrutal, is evil, yes, but he is also dapper and charming and the cheers drown out the boos as he joins the virtuous Jack (George McMahon) and Jill (Emma Warren) to take his bow.
Indeed, Harpur’s reworked version of Jack and the Beanstalk almost relegates the traditional details of the fairy tale to the background. It is not until the end of the first half that the infamous magic beans are even mentioned, while the Giant makes only a brief appearance. Thankfully. While this Giant is not actually that frightening — all he wants is his hen back, not to dine on any Irishmen – the cinematic techniques in Claire Tighe’s direction are so effective that he might be a bit much for the under-fives to take.
However, younger and older children alike will have fun shouting catchphrases back at Unbelievable Man and the Baron’s simpleton sidekicks Anto and Deco. And grown-ups will laugh along at the topical tidbits: Governmental insults and political digs. The traditional audience dance comes a little late in the action – it is a coda rather than an integrated part of the action – but on the Sunday of my visit even the grown-ups were happy to get groovy to the soundtrack which, for more than two hours, kept the whole family entertained.
