Aberdeen Pantomime 2024 Jack and the Beanstalk at HMT
Aberdeen Pantomime 2024 – Jack & the Beanstalk – Christmas has landed! So what is the long awaited 2024 panto like? Here’s what you need to know.
First Impressions of the Aberdeen Pantomime 2024
First off, the venue is beautiful. His Majesty’s Theatre is such an elegant space. The kids always stand gawping around when we first arrive, drinking it all in. A panto here is an event.
Curtain’s Up on Jack & the Beanstalk
Act 1 Aberdeen Pantomime 2024
After a very gentle start, the stars of the show roar into action. Greg McHugh from Gary Tank Commander is such a hit with kids. They find him hilarious, even if they’ve never seen the show. Gary chats to the audience like he’s wandered in off the street, it’s so real – when he was whinging about the price of the ice cream at HMT most people can relate 🙂 At one point Gary has a posing fit – pose after pose after pose – and I swear that man’s teeth deserve their own trailer/dressing room. He has the audience in the palm of his hand.
Alan McHugh (writer & director) took his annual role centre stage as the Dame, and his costumes get more bonkers year on year. His ‘Brown Owl’ Brownie outfit was something else, his weather girl look turned heads, and my boys loved his swimsuit appearance! And Paul-James Corrigan returned this year as a cute wee coo!
Expect Doric chatter, local jokes and references to towns and places, plus plenty of innuendo. The musical explanation of how the Dame met her husband went right over my kids’ heads but they were laughing at the nonsense and colour of it without actually getting most of the jokes and innuendo.
Act 1 usually ends with a bang – a huge crocodile or a flying carriage. This year it was simple curtain drop but, as we clutched the 3D specs we’d been given, I sensed Act 2 would deliver!
Act 2 3D Magic
The highlight of the show has to be the 3D experience at the start of Act 2 as the heroes enter the giant’s lair. It’s just brilliant, and actually a wee bit scary. My kids were gleefully terrified throughout as they were accosted by maggots, bogies, rats and spiders. There were screams and there were shrieks, and I was actually in tears laughing at their reactions, reminding myself of ‘Janice’ from that viral rollercoaster clip a few years back 🙂
Production Values – Aberdeen Pantomime 2024
As well as the stars and the opulent venue, the production values are what you’re paying for. The delightfully ridiculous costumes, the make-up, the lighting, the live musicians, the sets (which this year were particularly good), it’s all there. All very rich and imaginative.
Being hyper-critical I missed the big set pieces of song and dance that sometimes open/close the show, giving a real colourful Wow moment. And the other characters supporting the trio of chaps didn’t make much of a mark (I loved the villain’s Moira Rose references and would have welcomed MANY more to flesh her out!), but give me Gary and a 3D adventure and I’m a happy festive bunny.
Logistics – Aberdeen Pantomime 2024
In terms of logistics, the panto runs till Sunday 5 January. Matinees and evening performances are available most days. Evening shows are at 7.00pm (or 5.30pm on Sundays, Christmas Eve and Hogmanay). Look out for a ‘Relaxed Performance’ on 3 January – this show is quieter, with less vibrant lighting, and aimed at those who benefit from reduced sensory stimulation. BSL and Audio Described shows are also available.
The starting prices for adult tickets starts at £24.50. The HMT pantomime isn’t cheap, but I do believe you get what you pay for. This is an event, a family outing, a real treat. And if you wish to gift your kids experiences rather than toys this year, then the panto runs till the 5 January 2025. Find out more and book here.
Practicalities – Aberdeen Pantomime 2024
The theatre is at Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, AB25 1GL. Parking is relatively straightforward at the Denburn car park. Any queues to depart dissipate in a few minutes.
Toys, sweets, ice cream and drinks (soft and alcoholic) can be bought at various stands in the theatre and there are two bars. You can preorder drinks for the interval when you arrive. During the interval a bell will sound, summoning you back to your seat, so you don’t need to clock watch.
This may help with a trip to Aberdeen…
Things to Do in Aberdeen with Kids.
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