Written and directed by David Farmer, with music by Kenny Forrest.

Three actor/musicians. 50 minutes. Script and music available.

Originally a co-production with the Lyric, Hammersmith and Tiebreak Theatre Company, Jack and the Beanstalk toured throughout the UK in 2005. Read interviews with David Farmer about the production at bbc.co.uk and Derby Telegraph

'A beautifully imagined account of this children's favourite, performed with gusto and real storytelling suspense.'
- The Sunday Times

'Intelligent, humorous, inventive theatre for young people - achieved with remarkable imagination and flair.'
- The Stage

'There is a wonderful lament by Milkywhite the torch-singing cow, while unlikely musical instruments include scrubbing brushes in buckets and flower pots on strings.'
- Time Out

Review in The Stage 16/03/05

What an inspired idea to recreate a familiar tale through the ‘let’s pretend’ device of three children playing. It makes perfect sense of the role sharing. Characters frequently change roles, handing over the requisite yellow football shirt or pinny and excitedly consulting the storybook to see what they should make happen next. The gentle interaction with the audience - mostly under-8s and their families - works well too without being pantomimically laboured.

Versatility drives this show. Amanda Owen captures exactly the demeanour of a six-year-old at play, by turns truculent, inquisitive, exuberant or inconsolable. Owen has quite a gift for accents and can tootle on sax. Rebecca Naylor - her singing voice exceptionally attractive - is a fine musician who gets tuneful melodies out of several wind instruments and creates catchy percussive effects. Naylor’s performance as Milky the Cow, which includes a perky song and dance routine, is a delightful piece of theatre. Zoot Lyman is also a charismatic singer and guitarist as well as a well-paced actor. Onstage throughout is company stage manager and musician Sean Ashton-Peach who provides well-timed musical sound effects.

This show is full of Kenny Forrest’s good songs, often sung in folksy harmony. One of them is neatly modelled on a classical fugue and the traditional ‘Fee fi fo fum’ becomes a compelling cross-rhythmic quartet. As we have come to expect from Tiebreak there is lots of colour in Jack and the Beanstalk and the quality of movement is outstanding. This is David Farmer’s last show with Tiebreak after 24 years as artistic director. It’s a rousing finale.