Jack and the Beanstalk: A New Moooosical – Dundee Rep

Picture: Jess Shurte

Jack and the Beanstalk: A New Moooosical continues at Dundee Rep until 30 December 2025.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Song, dance, puppetry and a refreshing retelling of a classic fairytale combine magically in Dundee Rep’s Christmas offering, written by rising stars Jonathan O’Neill and Isaac Savage. This all-new Jack and the Beanstalk – a panto and musical theatre hybrid – is the perfect family-friendly festive fodder, full of toe-tapping tunes, funny one-liners and enough fart jokes to floor a highland cow.

The rather impressive West End regular – nay, star – Suzie McAdam (Much Ado About Nothing, Rocky Horror Show, Kinky Boots) leads a wonderful 10-strong band of youthful actor-musos in this retelling of the fairytale classic.

Do we need another Jack and the Beanstalk? Probably not, but who cares when it’s this fun?

In this genuinely laugh-out-loud version by O’Neill & Savage – alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, with Savage credited as musical director – the story is recounted by the otherwise minor character of the unmilkable cow, here revealed to be actually a heroic Highland ‘coo’ called Caroline. As our barren bovine balladeer, the flame-haired McAdam commands the Rep stage, and uses her phenomenal singing voice to great effect in a series of jolly – and often cow-punned – original moooosical theatre numbers. Her big ballad is entitled ‘Udderly Alone’, which tells you all you need to know.

McAdam is joined by a farm-load of talented supporting cast, with the trio of Henrietta the hen (Lucy Hutchison), the drama-llama Lady Fluffington III (Lorraine Graham… or was it Dame Judi?!) and Truffles the pig (Mairi Barclay) providing the lion’s share of the comedy. Their ‘Gotta Get a Gimmick’-inspired introductory number is hilarious, and their chemistry and characterisation throughout is a joy to watch.

Stealing the show, however, is David Rankine, who gets the biggest applause for his comic turn in Act II as Harper, the highly strung golden harp. Comic genius, backed up with impressive vocal technique.

As it’s Caroline’s retelling of events, Jack is relegated to a secondary character. Ronan O’Hara nevertheless delivers as the gormless halfwit whose greed – encouraged by mother Sherry (the very funny Laura Lovemore) – is the catalyst for the escalating conflict with the Giant (voiced by Rep patron and local lad done-good Brian Cox). Completing the ensemble are Connor Going, Elena Bluck and Fergus Murphy.

Director Stephen Whitson ensures a breathless pace, and skilfully negotiates the mix of panto and more traditional musical theatre elements. It’s certainly more musical than panto, which I was relieved to see, but still has all the elements you’d expect at this time of year, with comedy local references (‘magical beans from… Perth!’) and the occasional naughty throw-aways for the adults (“it’s not Only Farms!”).

There’s no skimping on the set and costumes, either, thanks to award-winning designer Kenneth MacLeod’s luxurious and grand unified vision for the show. He’s also credited alongside Neve Pearce with the beautiful but all too fleeting puppetry.

While it might be written with a Dundee audience in mind, this is definitely a Jack and the Beanstalk that, with a tweak here and there, will surely have a life beyond the city. The songs are ambitious and thoughtfully constructed, punching well above their weight in terms of, dare I say it, a regional Christmas show for kids. O’Neill and Savage – see, I’m already using the ampersand! – are Stiles and Drewe Best New Song and Mentorship finalists, and undoubtedly a creative duo to watch out for.

Craig Glenday