This year’s festive treat from the Torch Theatre Company will put you in the ‘moo-d’ for Christmas with its enchanting family fable Jack and The Beanstalk.

The show will deliver everything you could hope for this time of year and firmly catapult you into the traditional panto season, whilst bringing a modern spin to proceedings.

We’re introduced to ‘hero, adventurer’ and all round ‘super warrior’, Jack (Carwyn Jones), in rather less than valiant circumstances, selling knock-off dvds from his market stall. “Connie Fisher in Aladdin!” he touts to the audience, “whatever happened to her?” quips the leading man, in the first of many knowing nods to a spot of light-hearted mickey-taking of the local scene and surroundings.

Then there is the return to the stage for crowd favourite Dion Davies playing Jack’s dotty ma, Dame Trot, who decides to put a bit of ‘funk in the trunk’ with a showstopping entrance to Mark Ronson’s smash hit, before putting all her golden eggs in one basket by hitting on one of the school teacher’s watching, stating he reminded her of a film star...“Shrek!”

Along the way, we meet talking, dancing, singing cow Buttercup (Emma Hirons), Princess Penny (Evie Pickerill) and her father The King (Richard Nichols), and firmly in the villain camp Hilda Crankshaft (Liam Tobin) and her henchman FleshCreep (Oliver Wood), who reveals his first name to be the less than intimidating ‘Brian’.

After duping ‘plonker’ Jack into selling Buttercup to them for some worthless beans, Hilda and Brian decide that the big giant that rules over the community could do with a bigger dinner than beefburgers to keep him happy, and set about kidnapping the princess to sacrifice for supper.

As always, the Torch production directed by Peter Doran is witty, fast-paced and full of charm, with the set designs and costumes as splendid as ever.

There’s even the added bonus of some electronic special effects this year to bring the giant to life, along with a plethora of catchy tunes, including an ‘Old MacDonald’ rap where Dame Trot drops a touch of twerking, much to the amusement of the children present from both Hubberston and Pembroke Dock schools.

To top things off, a far fetched reveal towards the end requires a dramatic drum roll of the Eastenders kind just for the cast to pause for a moment and take in the big twist.

Book now to make sure you don’t miss out on the best seats, for the tallest tale of them all at the Torch Theatre this Christmas, which begins its run for the public on Saturday, December 19 until December 31.

P.E.