Jack And His Giant Stalk At Brick Lane Music Hall
Brick Lane Music Hall’s annual “Christmas” pantomime—traditionally staged in January—returns with Jack and His Giant Stalk, a cheeky, adult panto that leans gleefully into its title.
Written and directed by Lucy Hayes, daughter of founder Vincent Hayes, the show continues her run of playful, innuendo‑laced productions following last year’s Pinocchio and His Wooden Whopper and her Edinburgh Fringe hit Bitter Lemons. The plot loosely follows Jack and the Beanstalk: in the town of Loosebottom, Dame Trott and Jack attempt to avoid eviction (and murder) after rent hikes from the Giant’s wife and her henchwoman Poison Ivy. Jack is in love with his cow Daisy, who later becomes a “cowreoke” sensation thanks to the fairy Spirit of the Bean. And yes, Jack receives magic beans—with an adult twist.
Part of the pleasure of any Brick Lane visit is the venue itself. Housed in St Mark’s Church, a Victorian Gothic building near London City Airport, the space remains delightfully eccentric. I still remember wandering in for their Christmas variety show last November and getting lost in the old posters and theatrical memorabilia. It’s a fitting home for a company founded in 1992 by Vincent Hayes, who later received an MBE for services to British Music Hall.
Food remains central to the experience, echoing the art form’s tavern roots. Depending on the performance time, audiences enjoy a three‑course lunch, dinner or afternoon tea. Our dinner service began at 7:15pm, with the show starting around 8:30pm and finishing close to 11pm, interval included. It’s a sociable setup: plenty of time to chat, enjoy a drink, and settle in. We were amused to find mulled wine still on offer in January at £5 a cup—but it is a Christmas panto, so why not lean in.
The meal is simple, hearty fare: winter vegetable soup and a roll to start; chicken wrapped in bacon with potatoes, shared vegetables and mushroom gravy for the main; and cheesecake to finish. Chicken for large groups can be hit‑and‑miss, but the kitchen exceeded expectations. My friend’s vegetarian wellington was the standout—“delicious, flavourful, with a great veg‑to‑pastry ratio and a sauce that made it feel like a proper roast… one of the best I’ve had,” she declared. High praise indeed.
This year’s cast of eight looked like they were having an absolute blast. The cast’s camaraderie is evident; they’re at ease with each other, and it shows. Josh Benson returns for his fifth season bringing a cheeky yet charming Jack while Brick Lane favourite Andrew Robley is Dame Fanny Trott. Charlotte Fage is a wonderfully villainous Poison Ivy while Lucy Reed shines with her vocals. Vincent Hayes as Willy is delightfully chaotic and frequently off‑script, adding to the fun. Hayley Jo‑Whitney, Samantha McNeil and Jack Pallister (also the lyricist) round out the cast.
Robley’s rapid‑fire costume changes are a highlight—you lose count after about ten. From ABBA to Claudia Winkleman to a red‑and‑yellow ensemble resembling a certain global fast‑food chain, each reveal earns more and more applause. Musical Director Scott Hayes leads the live band, which brings warmth and energy to the evening.
This is very much an adult panto (or at least teens), and the title gives the game away. Expect double entendres, cheeky humour, and a steady stream of innuendo. The Dame’s repeated calls of “Where’s my Willy?”—referring to her son—set the tone early. It’s cheeky rather than vulgar or offensive, and the audience—skewing older—was fully on board.
The classic panto beats land well: call‑and‑response moments (“It’s behind you!”), the ensemble number “If I Wasn’t in Panto”, and a wonderfully silly ABBA‑themed sequence in which the characters find themselves in an “ABBA‑toir”, prompting “Mooma Mia” and “Watermoo”. A compact stage with fairy‑tale backdrops and a glitter ball completes the picture. A brief headset glitch required an actor to switch to a handheld mic and adapt choreography on the fly—handled with good humour.
Expect the usual panto. The classic call‑and‑response moments (“It’s behind you!”) and the song “If I Wasn’t in Panto” landed well. Narrative logic is not the priority in panto. Costume changes happen mid‑escape, the age gap between brothers Jack and Willy is never explained. I enjoy the musical aspect of pantos. The ABBA‑themed sequence—Daisy moving from the “Abattoir” to the “ABBA‑toir”—had us clapping along to “Mooma Mia” and “Watermoo”. Compact stage with the usual fairy-tale like backdrops and then a glitter ball. One headset glitch required an actor to switch to a handheld mic and adapt on the fly—handled with good humour. The tradition of inviting kitchen, wait staff and backstage crew to take a bow remains a lovely touch.
Jack and His Giant Stalk is exactly what you want on a cold, rainy winter evening: warm food, live music, a room full of laughter, and a cast clearly enjoying themselves.
Next year’s panto will be Sleeping Beauty and the Little Prick, and if this year is anything to go by, it’ll be another wonderfully fun night out.
The show runs until 7 March 2026.
Address: Brick Lane Music Hall 443 N Woolwich Road London, E16 2DA
Website: https://www.bricklanemusichall.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricklanemusichall
