Lakeland Players return this New Year with the all-time favourite pantomime, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’.

Running from January 11 to 20 at the Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen, audiences will follow the adventures of Jack and his journey up the beanstalk to the magical land above the clouds.

This pantomime for all the family will have you laughing at the crazy antics of loveable heroes, and booing at the baddies!

It’s all here – the magic beans, the scary giant Blunderbuss, colourful dances, great songs, including Pop and well-known classics.

In the pantomime, Jack and his mum are very poor and their only income comes from Buttercup, their dairy cow.

When she stops producing milk, Jack is told to sell her off at the local market.

On his way he meets an old man who persuades Jack to sell the cow for some ‘magic beans’.

When Jack returns home his mother is so angry she throws the beans onto the ground and sends him to bed.

In the night the beans sprout into a huge beanstalk and Jack’s exciting adventures are soon to start...

Jack, played by Wayne Moohan, will try to outwit the ferocious giant with the help of his mum Dame Trott, played as always by the hugely talented Mark Allen.

Princess Jasmine (Laoise Doherty), Jethro (Barry Gibson) and the comedy duo Major Roadworks (Julian Fowler) and Private Access (Niall Greene) will also add to the fun.

They will have to face Fleshcreep (Ian Blackford) the giant’s right-hand villain, who will do his best to stop them, and they will also come face to face with a ferocious giant.

Other principal actors include The Fairy (played by Ellie Flanaghan), Catherine Bradley as Mary, Stephen Watson and Ashling Donohoe as The King and Queen, and Tracey Kernaghan as The Giant’s Housekeeper.

There is a large chorus of 35 young people and a backstage team of more than 20 people, with the whole production directed by Stephen Kettyles.

Lakeland players have been producing pantomimes since 1986 and perform regularly to sell-out audiences at The Ardhowen Theatre, where the many standing ovations give an indication of the quality of the company and its actors.

This year’s pantomime production will also see some great special effects and magical props that will delight all those present.

By Dave Rees, who is involved with local drama groups, and is the Director of Enniskillen Drama Festival.