Jack and the Beanstalk has everything you know and love about a Key Theatre panto – only this year it is taking place across Peterborough city centre at the New Theatre on Broadway.

“Well it is a Giant of a panto, so why not got for a bigger place,” says David Griffin-Stephens, who just happens to have penned this year’s show – which runs from December 16 to January 4 – as well as taking the role of the Dame.

“Yes, I play Jack and Danni's mum, Dame Daisy Dollop, whose cows are so old they only produce powdered milk,” joked David, who has been the resident Dame (and panto writer and director) at the Key for quite a few years now.

We spoke at the end of the first week of rehearsals, in the Key studio, before they all up and move to the New.

David Griffin-Stephens and Samantha Bingley from the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk at New Theatre from December 16

placeholder image — David Griffin-Stephens and Samantha Bingley from the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk at New Theatre from December 16

The switch of venue is down to major work being carried out on the roof at the Key, and the show run – there are slightly fewer performances now but the audience capacity is much larger – has had to fit in with the New schedule.

“It means we will only have two days to get in and ready for the opening, sorting out the set, the sound, the lights, get the costumes in and the Giant.”

Sounds interesting?

“I don't think it is a spoiler alert - there will definitely be a giant in Jack and the Beanstalk, although he is a bit of a surprise,” he teased.

The cast of Jack and the Beanstalk at New Theatre from December 16 in rehearsal

So does the relocation from the 300+-capacity Key to the 1,000+ seater New cause problems or create opportunities?

“The stages are about the same size, it is deceiving, although there is more height obviously,” David points out.

“It is more the auditorium that is larger – it has a more grand feel and I think it is kind of going to work really well.

“The biggest change is the shape of the stage, which means we are able to do lot more daring choreography, which will be fun.

“As far as the set is concerned everything is designed and built from scratch, so when we found out would be moving we had time to make some alterations ready for it to be built.

“As for the show, the Key is intimate, which is great for comedy, so some of the stuff we will be doing will be slightly ‘bigger’ and there will be a lot more interaction with the audience, because making sure everyone feels involved in the show at some point in panto is so important.

“What is surprising at the New though is when you stand on the stage it is still surprisingly intimate. But, yes, we have gone bigger on certain things - the music is bigger, so our original music has again taken a step up, there are plans to use the old cinema surround sound to help with the Giant's voice and some of the sound effects and the score to really lift it.”

And the audience are a big part of panto, of course.

“I do think people will still feel just as connected as they would do at the Key, that will still happen,” adds David.

“It has got all the things that people love from going to see a Key Theatre panto, the things that make them come back year after year, but this venue allows us to go that step beyond, add a special element to it, the things that just aren't possible in a smaller space. It is a giant of a panto so why not go for a bigger place?”

And with a bigger audience, that’s hundreds more excited youngsters jumping up and down screaming at the cast on stage! “Yes,” says David. “Take something like the ‘Ghost gag’ (a panto staple) with 300 kids shouting at you it hits you like a wall of sound so with 900 shouting I probably won't have to learn it because they won't be able hear me! I know a lot of pantos take it out, but it is lovely seeing children reacting the way they do to it - they are so passionate about how foolish we are, that we can't see these things, jumping up and down screaming at you.

“But a panto could be people first experience of live theatre so it is so important, and that is why I take the art form incredibly seriously, even though it is ludicrous. It is the the reason why we we have an original script, original music (music and lyrics by Simon Hanson), original design, because it gives people a fully fleshed out theatrical experience that a show which is just off the shelf doesn’t do.

“So if it is someone’s first experience or only experience of the year they deserve to get the very best that the arts can offer.”

For tickets and show times, go to www.newtheatre-peterborough.com