Of all the Christmas traditions we missed out on this year, going to a panto was probably up there near the top of my list. The excitement of a trip out to the theatre for my young children was normally the sign Christmas had really started in earnest.
This year is of course entirely different. Tier 3 means no theatre in Nottinghamshire, and with it a huge loss to institutions like the Playhouse. They've been forced to diversify and that means offering an online recording of their Christmas shows.
We opted for the show for younger children, normally shown in the Neville Studio, Jack and the Beanstalk.
At £10 for a five-day rental, the recording is comparable in price to home film rentals and I can guarantee your kids won't have seen this at school (as I often discover after shelling out for something...).
The performance was recorded in mid-December and has a live audience of sorts, made up of members of Playhouse staff. All this adds to the atmosphere of the show - after all, that's one of the main reasons we go to the theatre, for the shared experience.
As for the show, the Playhouse has added a significant amount of fun and brightness to the traditional story. It reminded me slightly of a CBeebies show - not a bad thing where the younger viewers are concerned!
Protagonist Jack is energetic, mischievous and authentic, instantly creating a bond with his audience. The songs are short and catchy and the moral of the story is clear, making it the perfect show for little ones. My four-year-old was glued to the show for the entire hour. No mean feat.
So if you're looking for a festive tale to fill the days between now and back to school and want to support your local theatre in the process, cosy up on the sofa for an evening in the virtual auditorium. After all, we don't want Christmas 2021 to be bereft of real life pantos, do we?
Jack and the Beanstalk can be rented for five days at a cost of £10 from nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk until January 9 2021.
