Panto king Billy rocks and rolls in entertaining Bradford show (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Panto king Billy rocks and rolls in entertaining Bradford show

9:08pm Wednesday 16th December 2009 in

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When you get a death-defying knife stunt, fire-eating break dancers, ballet dancing clowns and a belching cow it can only mean one thing – it’s panto time in Bradford.

With Hairspray star Leanne Jones as a fabulous 50s-style fairy, sporting pink hair and circle skirt, there was a fun Rock ‘n’ Roll feel to this hugely entertaining show.

Billy Pearce, making a spectacular entrance from a magic box, was dressed in a shocking pink Teddy Boy suit and blue suede shoes.

The frenzied applause greeting him said it all and Bradford’s panto king delivered another cracking performance.

Blending playful energy with the skills of a seasoned comic, he brought a touching quality to the role of Jack and showcased his impressive singing voice.

Great performances too came from Gaynor Faye as Sweet Jill, Tony Adams as a fabulous Dame Trott, Jan Erik Brenner as crowd pleaser Mr Flipps and Jay Worthy as a deliciously caddish baddie Fleshcreep.

Highlights included the Hairspray opening number, the thrilling circus, complete with a unicyclist, rope dancer and Vegas-style dancing girls and the Singin’ In The Rain routine, drenching Billy in his pyjamas.

From the moment the curtain rose on the spectacular opening scene, West Yorkshire’s biggest pantomime was a riot of laughs and thrills.

The action raced along, with dazzling illusions and impressive technological effects blending nicely with all the traditional elements of panto, not least Billy’s crowd-pleasing slapstick routines.

Bright sets and stunning costumes flooded the stage with primary colours, bringing the story of Jack and his magic beans to life as if it was an action-packed animation.

The larger-than-life beanstalk – from which an enormous giant emerged – drew gasps from a delighted audience while Moonbeam, the cute miniature cow, captured everyone’s hearts.

The heart of the show lay in terrific, high-energy performances from Billy and the gang. Lovely performances too from the Sunbeams, alias talented youngsters from the Sara Packham Theatre School in Oxenhope.

A must-see festive family treat, Jack and the Beanstalk runs until January 31, 2010.