This year’s Christmas pantomime at The Theatre, Chipping Norton, is the fabulous Jack And The Beanstalk. Of course, in true Chippy style, it’s with a twist! Jack’s adventure takes us to the Viking kingdom of Smorgasbord. He’s joined by a talking cow and a band of musical horned helmets on his quest to find peace and true love. Will he find what he’s looking for?!
The Theatre at Chipping Norton is probably the most unique theatre I have been to, I love it! We went along for the first time last year to see Cinderella. It’s a real hub of the community and this was really apparent to see again this year, when we went along to watch Jack And The Beanstalk. Everyone involved in The Theatre is so passionate about what they do. It really shines through, from the bar staff and ushers to the performers.
The Theatre isn’t just a theatre, it has a broad program of activities for all ages and backgrounds. The social impact of this ‘little’ theatre goes beyond theatrical performances. The Theatre provides food vouchers, craft workshops and art packs for families on low incomes, plus free films for local families. This year alone they have provided 11,000 free school holiday meals and 965 holiday craft activities. 866 free tickets have been provided to disadvantaged families, refugees, people with learning disabilities and children in care. They offer mental health workshops and drama sessions for young people identified as in need, plus a monthly support group for the parents. Local schools benefit from an Anti-Bullying programme. On top of that, The Theatre run special sessions for local care home residents with dementia, bringing them together with younger generations to tell their story. The list goes on and on……
Our Verdict
This year’s panto, Jack And The Beanstalk is fantastic. I feel like the creativity has ramped up another gear this year. The twist on the original story, the characters, the costumes. The audience participation is brilliant fun and Andy Cryer as the Dame Gertrude is hilarious! We were entranced the whole way through. Well done to The Theatre for another fantastic pantomime!
Jack and The Beanstalk is running 13th November – 12th January, so you’ve got plenty of time to go and see it. You really won’t be disappointed! To book tickets, visit the The Theatre Chipping Norton’s website here: https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com
Disclaimer: We were kindly gifted two free tickets to see a performance of Jack and The Beanstalk and purchased a further 2 tickets as no-one wanted to miss out! All words and opinions are that of my own. Photos are my own unless credited to the photographer.
