1

Jack and the

beanstalk:

A Visual Story

Hello, we’re looking

forward to welcoming you

to Jack and the Beanstalk.

These notes are for you to

read with your family

before coming to the

pantomime, so that you

will know what to expect.

Jack

Jack is the hero of the

pantomime. Each time he

comes on stage he will say,

“Hiya!” to the audience. You

can say hello back to him.

Fairy Nuff

Fairy Nuff helps Jack when

he’s in trouble. She

intervenes in the story to

make sure things work out

happily ever after. She sings

and plays different

instruments. When she

comes on stage, the LIGHTS

WILL FLASH.

Dame trott and

Smart Simone

Dame Trott is Jack’s mother.

When she comes on stage she

will throw sweets to the

audience. If you are lucky, you

might catch one, but not

everyone will.

Simone is Jack’s older sister.

She is very clever and gets Jack

and Dame Trott out of trouble

with her clever plans.

Characters

2

Judy Hench and

Harri Co’vert

Judy is the baddie in the

story. She works for the Giant

and is nasty and greedy.

When she comes on stage

you will hear a clap of

thunder and everyone will

shout “Boo!” You can too.

Harri is Judy’s assistant, but

he doesn't like his job. He’s

secretly a nice person and

doesn’t like being evil!

jagger the cow

Jagger lives with Jack, Simone

and Dame Trott. She is sold to

the Giant at the start of the

story but Jack manages to

rescue her in the end!

Jill and goose

Jill and Goose are both held

prisoner by the Giant. Jill falls

in love with Jack when he

comes to rescue them.

You will recognise the actor

playing Goose as she will

been wearing a white

costume with a pointy tail!

Giant Jobs

The Giant lives in a rain

factory in the clouds. He has

taken all the children in the

village prisoner and put them

to work collecting raindrops.

He sends his henchmen Judy

and Harri to collect taxes

from the villagers and steals

cows to make burgers! Mean

and cruel, no-one likes the

Giant.

3

How long is it?

The show will last for 2 hours.

The first part will last for

50 mins.

Then there will be a 20 min

break. You can eat a snack and

go to the toilets if you need to.

The second part will last for

50 mins.

Then it will be time to go

home.

Story Notes

Sudden sounds, actions and

other surprises are written in

CAPITAL LETTERS.

When the story moves to a

different location you will see

this arrow →.

When you arrive

The lights will be on

in the theatre so that you can

find your seat. They will stay

on at a low level throughout

the show. There will also be

spinning lights made by a

glitterball.

Sometimes the actors will

speak to everyone in

the audience. They

might ask questions or teach

you a song. The people sitting

around you will join in and

you can too if you like.

Sometimes the actors will

walk through the

auditorium where you

will be sitting. They might

come close to you, but don’t

worry, they won’t touch you.

LIGHTS FLASH and A VOICE

says, “Welcome!” It’s time for

the story to start...

LIGHTS FLASH and Fairy Nuff

appears. She sings a song to

tell us Jack’s story so far. Many

years ago, all the children in

Jack’s village were kidnapped

by a Giant and put to work in

his rain factory in the clouds.

Jack has grown up hoping to

find a way to rescue the

children especially his best

friend Jill.

4

→In the village of Oxford

Jack and Simone RUN

THROUGH THE AUDITORIUM.

They shout “HIYA!” and

EVERYONE REPLIES. They tell

us about the Giant, show us

around the village and sing a

song. In the middle of the fun,

the Giant’s henchmen Judy and

Harri arrive (LIGHTS FLASH/

THUNDERCLAP). They

announce that the Giant is

raising taxes! The audience

shouts “BOO!” and you can

too.

→Dame Trott’s cottage

The story moves to Dame

Trott’s cottage. The LIGHTS

COME ON IN THE

AUDITORIUM. Dame Trott

THROWS SWEETS and WALKS

INTO THE AUDITORIUM TO

SAY “HELLO!” to the

audience. Jack and Simone

arrive. They tell her the bad

news about the taxes. The

only way to raise some

money now is to milk their

cow, Jagger. But Jagger

doesn’t like being milked!

Jack calls Jagger and she

arrives on stage dancing to

MUSIC! When Jack suggests

they might sell her milk at

market, she chases him

around the stage! Dame Trott

decides that, as Jagger won’t

let them milk her, Jack must

take her to market to be sold.

(THE AUDIENCE SAYS

“AHHH!”)

→The Giant’s factory

Meanwhile, in the Giant’s

factory, the children are

working hard. Jill and her

friend Goose are planning to

escape. Judy and Harri appear

(LIGHTS FLASH/

THUNDERCLAP). Judy reveals

she is plotting an evil plan to

flood the village marketplace!

Her scheming is interrupted by

THE DEEP RUMBLING VOICE OF

THE GIANT demanding his

dinner. (A RED LIGHT FLASHES

AS HE SPEAKS.)

5

→On the way to market

The next morning on the road

to market Jack and Jagger meet

Judy and Harri (LIGHTS FLASH/

THUNDERCLAP). Judy tricks

Jack into exchanging Jagger for

five beans! The audience shout

“NO!” but she takes Jagger

away to be turned into beef

burgers! Fairy Nuff intervenes

and casts a spell. The beans are

now magical!

20 MIN BREAK

→Outside the Giant’s factory

A song opens act two

(GLITTERBALL). Jack is at the

top of the beanstalk in a haze

of MAGIC THEATRE FOG. He

sees the Giant’s factory and

overhears Judy talking about

her evil plot. Judy and Harri

leave and Jack goes to the

factory door but, as he raises

his hand to knock, Jill opens

it! Reunited, Jack and Jill sing

and make a plan to rescue

everyone in the factory

(including Jagger, of course!).

→In the village

Simone and Dame Trott are out

searching for Jack. They

THROW SWEETS AND INVITE A

PERSON FROM THE AUDIENCE

UP ON STAGE and ask them to

explain what has happened to

him. Just as they are setting off

back to the cottage, Judy and

Harri arrive to collect the

Giant’s taxes (LIGHTS FLASH/

THUNDERCLAP). Simone tricks

Judy and they manage to

escape without paying

(Whew!).

→Dame Trott’s cottage

Jack arrives back home. Dame

Trott and Simone are waiting

(THEY THROW MORE

SWEETS). But when they hear

that Jack has swapped Jagger

for some beans they are

furious! Fairy Nuff appears.

With her help and a song

(TWO ACTORS COME INTO

THE AUDIENCE TO SING) Jack

plants the beans and they

GROW INTO A HUGE

BEANSTALK. Jack decides he

must climb the beanstalk and

seek his fame and fortune.

6

→The Giant’s factory

Meanwhile, the Giant is asleep

in the factory. Jack and Jill

wake the children and Jagger

and start to creep away but

Jack can’t resist taunting the

Giant. He walks away singing

and the Giant wakes up! (HE IS

A GIANT PUPPET WITH A

BOOMING VOICE AND HEAVY

FOOTSTEPS. ) The audience

shout “HE’S BEHIND YOU!” and

try to warn Jack and Jill. You

can join in.

→Dame Trott’s cottage

Simone and Dame Trott WALK

THROUGH THE AUDIENCE

looking for Jack. They hear

the Giant shouting and start

to sing. Suddenly, Jack, Jill,

Jagger and the children

appear on stage. They’ve

managed to escape from the

Giant but now he is chasing

them. They must cut down

the beanstalk!

Jack chops at the beanstalk.

Judy appears and tells Harri

it’s time to put the evil plan to

flood the market square into

action. She presses a button

to release the rain from the

Giant’s factory but Jill has

cleverly swapped the

raindrops for beanstalk beans

and these come tumbling

down instead! (BEANS MADE

FROM SPONGE BALLS DROP

FROM THE ROOF OF THE

STAGE. SOME MIGHT ROLL

INTO THE AUDIENCE BUT

DON’T WORRY, THAT’S OK.)

The beanstalk falls and the

Giant and Judy are defeated.

Harri is delighted to escape

from Judy. He, Simone and

Goose decide to sing a song to

celebrate! THEY INVITE THE

AUDIENCE TO JOIN IN AND

CHOOSE TWO PEOPLE TO

COME ON STAGE AND LEAD

THE SINGING. You can join in

with the singing too.

7

→In the market square

Simone, Goose and Harri join

the rest of the villagers in the

market square for a party and a

wedding! Jack and Jill are

married. Jack finds a bull to

keep Jagger company and Harri

falls in love with Dame Trott!

It’s time for everyone to live

happily ever after.

There is a big song and dance

routine to finish the show.

lights flash and the

glitterball turns. It’s

like a big party.

The End

The lights will come

on in the auditorium and it

is time to go home.

See you soon!

We’re looking forward to

welcoming you to the show

on Wednesday 3rd

January at 4pm.

The box office and cafe will be

open all day and the

auditorium will be open from

3.30pm so that you can find

your seat in plenty of time.

Any questions?

If you have any questions

before your visit just give us a

call on 01865 305 305.

Production photos by Geraint Lewis

Written by Hester Bond