Review: Jack and His Giant Stalk at Brick Lane Music Hall — A Proper East End Treat

Sarah
42 minutes ago
3 min read

★★★★

Entrance of Brick Lane Music Hall with neon sign, archway draped in roses, and purple lighting creating a vibrant and festive mood. — The beautiful exterior of Brick Lane Music Hall

There are very few places in London where you can step inside and instantly feel both utterly transported and entirely at home. Brick Lane Music Hall is one of them — a glorious slice of living theatrical history founded in 1992 by the indefatigable Vincent Hayes MBE.

Once tucked away in Truman’s Brewery, later in Shoreditch, it now sits proudly in its third and most spectacular home: the Grade II* listed Victorian St Mark’s Church in Silvertown, a soaring Gothic marvel saved from decline and lovingly restored into a theatre-restaurant hybrid like no other.

That passion for place, community, and old‑school entertainment still radiates through every corner — Vincent greeting audience members to Zara Kattan's warm welcome as she recognised me from my previous visit.

Brick Lane Music Hall recently received a Special Award at the 2025 UK Pantomime Awards for championing pantomime heritage, a well‑deserved tribute to what the venue means to the area. It's work in the local community to bring the creative arts to everyone is commendable.

Jack and His Giant Stalk is a Panto With Proper Old‑Fashioned Fun — Oh Yes It Is

A panto after 12th night? Just when you thought that the panto season is over, up pops this one. The January panto has become a trade mark for the Brick Lane Music Hall.

Jack and His Giant Stalk (written and directed by Lucy Hayes) keeps the Brick Lane tradition alive with an uproarious, slightly saucy, proudly music‑hall‑flavoured romp. Yes, Viagra and little blue pills appear with impressive regularity — but despite the cheekiness, the show never strays so far into the adult lane that a worldly 12‑ or 13‑year‑old couldn’t come along and have a good giggle.

People seated at tables in a decorated theater with vibrant lights. A stage displays "Jack and His Giant Stalk." Festive atmosphere. — The interior is a very social space

The format remains the venue’s signature: a three‑course meal served before the performance, acknowledging Brick Lane’s roots in variety‑dining entertainment. The dining experience adds to the charm of the night, it feels like being welcomed to a very theatrical family wedding.

Vincent himself makes sure the cooks, waiters, musicians, and backstage team all receive their moment in the spotlight. He’s as quick to praise the chefs as he is to make mischief with the cast — ad‑libbing, derailing scenes, and gleefully ignoring the script whenever inspiration strikes. The cast handle his interruptions with impressive finesse; you can practically see them recalibrating in real time, and it becomes part of the fun.

A Cast Who Know Exactly What They’re Doing

Three performers in colorful costumes stand on stage. A person in red with a burger hat, another in pink and white, and one in green. A village backdrop with bright lighting creates a festive mood. — Incredible costumes! Photo credit Lucy Hayes

Josh Benson’s Jack Trott leads with boyish charm, alongside Samantha McNeil’s warm and spirited Jill. Jack Pallister’s Spirit of the Beans is delightfully offbeat, while Charlotte Fage (Poison Ivy) and Hayley‑Jo Whitney (Ophelia Loosebottom) make for a deliciously villainous double‑act.

Vincent Hayes brings his trademark chaos to Willy Trott, but it’s Andrew Robley who steals half the show as Dame Fanny Trott. His costume changes — courtesy of Syldon Costumes and Frank Kershaw — are nothing short of outrageous. Considering this is far from a West End budget, the sheer volume, speed, and imagination of his outfits is heroic.

Lucy Reed’s Daisy the Cow is another highlight, played with huge vocal power and comic warmth.