Watch Out for Poison Ivy!

Reviewed by Mary Alderson

Jack and the Beanstalk is a traditional British panto, now on stage at the Globus Theatre in rural Bobcaygeon, written by Sarah Quick, artistic director. The audience is encouraged to boo the villain, cheer for the woebegone, and laugh at the jokes.

And there are jokes a-plenty: silly puns, quick witted jabs, and just plain good old Dad jokes.

Quick has created an interesting twist to the Jack and the Beanstalk story. (Spoiler alert: Don’t read the next sentence out loud to the kids before you go see the show.) But there is no giant! In what may be a tip of the hat to The Wizard of Oz, where there was no wizard, the concept of the giant is created by the evil villain Poison Ivy! She puts fear into the locals talking about the giant, and manipulates them into believing the giant exists somewhere up there.

Quick herself plays Poison Ivy, and possesses the golden harp and the hen that lays golden eggs. As she struts about in her high-heel boots, Quick owns the stage, and her character Poison Ivy is the master of evil.

In the meantime, Quick’s real-life partner, James Barrett plays Dame Trott, mother of Jack and Dan. Barrett seems to gravitate toward the female panto roles and he is hilariously funny as such. Dame Trott is facing financial ruin, and suggests that she might be able to sell some of her lovely frocks, which could also be fun parachutes.

Kevin Sepaul, a regular favourite at the Globus’s pantos and comedies, plays Baron Dithers, who cannot control Poison Ivy and feigns sympathy with Dame Trott, yet kicks her off the farm which she operates.

Which brings us to the main problem: Dame Trott is trying to raise her two boys, Jack and Dan on her own. They love their dairy cow named Patricia. Two youthful cast members play the front and rear of Patricia, while trying to control her ample udder. It is funny enough to call a cow Patricia, but then the audience realises that they frequently talk about their cow Patty.

Jack for all intents and purposes is the star of the show. Played by Hayden DiMarco, Jack seems bright enough until he sells their beloved Patty for a handful of beans. DiMarco is a delight with his youthful energy.

The rest of 12 roles are played by local children, with most of the parts being triple cast, so most kids only appear every third show. The cast I saw were great – it is so much fun and so gratifying to see earnest children doing their best to be on cue, and remember lines, delivering them with satisfaction. I can only imagine the hard work Director Quick had to do to bring three casts to this level of perfection. She must be a patient person.

The humour throughout the show is quite clever, ranging from groaners to puns. Here are a few examples:  Young Dan, Jack’s little brother, is staring at his orange juice. When asked why, he replies that it says “concentrate.” When Dame Trott can’t pay the rent, it’s suggested she could go back to her former occupation – walking the streets and stopping cars. But she quickly reminds us she was a crossing guard. When talking about their beloved cow Patty, they promise they will be together for heifer.

Children in the audience love this panto. There is great delight in booing Poison Ivy, or helping Dame Trott look for something she can’t see. Cast members participate in an action song, and my granddaughter was thrilled to be invited to take part.

Globus pantos are wonderful in getting the entire audience, especially the children, invested in the story and totally involved as the plot moves along. That’s what makes the visit to the theatre a success, and a fun outing for the kids, which in turn, makes parents and grandparents happy. It also helps when the cast is having as much fun as the audience.

Jack and the Beanstalk continues at the Globus Theatre near Bobcaygeon, until December 17. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 705-738-2037 or 1-800-304-7897 or visit https://www.globustheatre.com/current-season

Photo: The professional actors, Kevin Sepaul, Sarah Quick, James Barrett, and Hayden DiMarco, surrounded one of three groups of children who were cast in this year’s panto.

Jack and the Beanstalk
By Sarah Quick
Performed by James Barrett, Sarah Quick, Kevin Sepaul, Hayden DiMarco and 30 very talented children.
Globus Theatre, Bobcaygeon
December 3 to 17, 2025
Reviewed by Mary Alderson