Fee-fi-fo-fum, panto is back at Milton Keynes Theatre and the long-awaited Jack and the Beanstalk is gold-standard entertainment for everyone!

After so many restrictions and changes of direction in the real world, the only way is up (and sometimes around) in this giant pantomime spectacular. Ashley Banjo headlines in the title role and the other members of street dance troupe Diversity play his siblings. This means the dynamic moves on display throughout the show are slick, synchronised and seamlessly integrated into the story.

Pounding music and flashing lights welcome us to the Land of the Giants. Thunderous footsteps reverberate around the auditorium as we are introduced to the villain, Fleshcreep, who does Giant Blunderbore’s bidding. Most of the action then orbits around the Village of Roundybout, home to Jack Trot and his girlfriend, Princess Jill. Later, a foolish exchange involving the Trot family’s cow, Daisy, motivates our panto stars to climb up an enormous beanstalk to Cloudland. Here, daring and defiant, they take on an angry giant.

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There is barely time to draw breath when watching Aladdin at Milton Keynes Theatre. This year’s pantomime leaves you gasping for air between the laughs and gasping in awe at the spectacular flying carpet.

Spare a thought, then, for motormouth comedian Joe Pasquale, whose role as Wishee Washee must leave him puffed out and parched by the interval. Talking a mile a minute, he bounds about the stage with a twinkle in his eye while getting up to mischief with props, his cast mates and audience members. His energetic sense of fun is truly infectious, and he has the entire auditorium creased up.

As a co-director and contributing writer, Joe seems to have had carte blanche to do his own thing in Aladdin and he does it extremely well. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be Aladdin without the earnest, impoverished lad who falls for an exotic princess; is conned by the evil Abanazar; wanders into the Cave of Wonders and releases the Genie from a magic lamp.

Lee Mead (best known for winning the BBC talent show Any Dream Will Do and playing Ben “Lofty” Chiltern in the BBC’s Casualty and Holby City) is a class act as Aladdin. He has natural charm and a powerful voice. He pulls off the puns and enthusiastically throws himself into slapstick scenes with Joe. He really is everything you could wish for from a panto hero.

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‘Tis the season to be silly and this year’s pantomime at Milton Keynes Theatre is a cheerfully chaotic take on Robin Hood.

In time-honoured panto tradition, the action-packed show features colourful costumes and sets, reworked pop songs, men dressed (barely!) as women, slapstick comedy and jokes that push the boundaries of innuendo.

Furthermore, in a more forward-thinking fashion to complement the old-school theatrical magic, Qdos Entertainment also incorporates an innovative 3D cinema interlude and uses thrilling technology to add a life-sized dinosaur to the mix. Madness? Yes, but this is pantomime so anything can happen!

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