Manor Operatics panto Sheffield City Hall: A cracker of Sheffield love and humour for Jack and the Beanstalk

Manor Operatic Society's Jack and the Beanstalk castManor Operatic Society's Jack and the Beanstalk cast
Manor Operatic Society's Jack and the Beanstalk cast | MOS
We're back at the Hall and we're back with the baking scene - overenthusiasm from the audience and intrepidiation from the cast.

You'd only understand why these words bring such joy to whole generations if you are Sheffield born and bred.

There are others sentences that have similar impact on us Sheffielders. Tiddly Winky Woo is one and 'we'll have 10 children on stage for the bucket game' is another.

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These are, of course, the staples of every Manor Operatic panto at the City Hall and how the audience loves them.

This year's offering is Jack And The Beanstalk. It has all the classic scenes you would expect and a few more modern offerings that you might not, but that's not really the important bit.

Manor's panto is created for Sheffielders by Sheffielders. It is amateur dramatics by folk who somehow also manage to hold down day jobs but it is better than many professional productions.

Jack and the Beanstalk at Sheffield City HallJack and the Beanstalk at Sheffield City Hall
Jack and the Beanstalk at Sheffield City Hall | MOS

Go in the panto frame of mind and you'll leave on cloud nine.

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If you've never been before (where have you been all your life?) then here's a run down. You might get a custard pie on your head, are likely to be hit by flying dough and by the end, your ears will be ringing while your voice will be hoarse.

Going to the Manor panto straight after Christmas is a family tradition for us and, it seems, half of the city. We wouldn't miss it for the world - from the youngest of us to the very oldest.

This year's was the loudest audience I have experienced, and that's saying something. They simply loved the silliness.

The dame is central to any panto and Simon Hance as Dame Tilly Trott was the perfect big bloke in a dress. He's been part of Manor for 30 years, gets the audience going and can hilariously ad lib when necessary.

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Stuart Daniel Box as Simon Trott, Simon Hance as Dame Tilly Trott and Dylan Lambert as Jack TrusttStuart Daniel Box as Simon Trott, Simon Hance as Dame Tilly Trott and Dylan Lambert as Jack Trustt
Stuart Daniel Box as Simon Trott, Simon Hance as Dame Tilly Trott and Dylan Lambert as Jack Trustt | MOS

The good and bad lead female roles were great - Katie Ann Dolling as the ridiculously pink and southern Fairy Flower as well as Emily Mae Hoyland as Witch Weird and Daisy Cook as Princess Lily.

But, as always, the whole cast, the dazzling costumes and the superb sets are what makes the panto work thanks to one huge team effort.

None of it would be possible without the incredible production team of Richard Bradford, Linda Kelly and Andy Collis who shuffle the pack every year and always come up with a winning formula.

There are always extra laughs for the 'errors' which leave the crowd believing that it wasn't in the script - yet you are never 100% sure. The lines that characters get their tongues twisted over, the falls that might just be accidental and the giggles that grab the cast when you didn't quite expect it. These are everybody's favourite, delightful twists and make the laughs creep up a few decibels.

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Katie Ann Dolling as Fairy Flower and Emily Mae Hoyland at Witch WeedKatie Ann Dolling as Fairy Flower and Emily Mae Hoyland at Witch Weed
Katie Ann Dolling as Fairy Flower and Emily Mae Hoyland at Witch Weed | MOS

The neon dance scene was one of my favourites and I have no idea who starred in it, which just goes to show how this is all about everybody working as one.

Special mention to the infectious enthusiasm of Paige Benison as the Golden Hen. Never has a golden egg been laid so spectacularly. Jack and the Beanstalk is at Sheffield City Hall until January 5 and Manor Operatic Society will be back with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from May 14 to 17. Visit manoroperatic.com

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