Holiday pantos were a formative tradition for Sarah Quick when she was growing up in England and, since founding Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre with her husband James Barrett in 2003, she has aspired to make the same impact on children who take to the stage or sit in the audience for the professional theatre company’s annual holiday show.
The artistic director of Globus Theatre has written and produced a traditional British panto every year for almost two decades, inviting the whole family to engage in the traditional holiday fun of her childhood.
This year is no exception, with Globus presenting Jack and the Beanstalk from December 3 to 17, with seven performances for area school groups and eight public performances.
“When we talk about accessible theatre and theatre for everyone, that’s what a panto is because it’s for all generations,” says Quick. “It appeals to the very little ones, to grandma and grandpa, and everybody in between.”
For Quick, who hails from northern England, being involved in a panto with her church theatre group as a child was not only synonymous with the holiday season, but led her on the path to working in theatre.
“It was where I learned what performing could be, and it was where I learned that it was something I could do reasonably well which, at that age, was quite an exciting discovery,” says Quick, adding that a role in a panto was also her first professional gig in London’s West End after she graduated from theatre school.
Very popular in the United Kingdom, a panto (from the word pantomime) is a family-friendly musical comedy, usually based on a classic fairytale and staged during the lead-up to Christmas. Evolving from a form of Italian theatre that made its way to Britain, pantomime had become a staple of London theatres by the early 18th century and, during the Victorian era, grew in popularity to become the holiday tradition that continues to this day.
“You can go your local church hall or your local seaside theatre, and the prices are designed for the entire family to go and have a day out,” Quick says of pantos in England. “All the theatres are packed. It’s a really exciting time, so that’s what I wanted to bring here.”
One reason for the enduring popularity of traditional British pantos is because their storylines appeal to children while adults enjoy humour and innuendos that the children in the audience don’t get.
“I think in more recent years, Disney has done that quite well, where some movies are ostensibly for kids but the adults can get the slightly more risqué comments, the slightly cleverer wordplay, or the political jokes,” says Quick. “Those are there for the adults and go over the kids’ heads, which makes it a lot of fun for everybody.”
A classic British panto also invites audience participation, such as booing when the villain comes on stage. This tradition, says Quick, is one that Globus Theatre audiences have grown to love since the theatre company staged its very first panto in 2006.
“It was quite funny because the first time, when the evil person came on, all the English people in the audience knew to boo heavily, and you could see all the Canadians looking around asking ‘What’s going on?’ and thinking this is not appropriate theatre behaviour,” Quick recalls with a laugh. “Now everybody knows — as soon as the villain comes on, you hiss and you boo. They’re prepared for audience participation.”
This year, Globus is presenting an original retelling of a classic fairytale with Jack and the Beanstalk. Though audiences may be familiar with the story — Jack sells a cow for some magic beans that grow into a towering beanstalk leading to the realm of a giant, from whom Jack steals treasures to help his poor widowed mother — there are many unique surprises, new characters, and fun twists in Quick’s comical rendition.
“You won’t know exactly who is in Jack and the Beanstalk and exactly what happens,” she says of the Globus version. “In our Jack and the Beanstalk, it’s the Baron Dithers who is trying to evict Dame Trott from the Dottie Dale Dairy and he sent his henchmen to do the job for him.”
Quick herself will be playing Poison Ivy, the giant’s evil sidekick who has her own gremlins. And, once again, Globus Theatre’s artistic producer James Barrett will portray the Dame, a classic role in traditional pantos that’s played by a man wearing heavy makeup and flamboyant women’s clothing.
“The first time James played a Dame, he was putting on the dress and said ‘Are you sure this is traditional in England?'” Quick recalls. “Now if we did not give him the Dame role, he would be absolutely gutted. He loves it.”
Quick and Barrett will be joined by fellow panto regular Kevin Sepaul along with Hayden DiMarco, a recent graduate of the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
“We always bring in somebody who has just graduated theatre school and is embarking on their professional career,” Quick says. “The kids get to talk to them about what it’s like to go on to further education at theatre school and start a job as an actor. It’s great to be able to give that emerging artist a gig, but it’s also really cool for the kids to see theatre as a career option.”
This is important to Globus Theatre because there will be upwards of 40 children involved in Jack and the Beanstalk, both on and off the stage.
“It’s not about being a perfect performer or being extremely skilled in certain areas — it’s about being yourself on stage,” Quick says. “My job is to give kids that huge amount of confidence that they can perform, and they can create this environment where they have 150 people laughing because of something they said.”
The opportunity to perform in the panto reflects Globus Theatre’s aim to foster a love of performance in children and youth in Kawartha Lakes.
“It’s important for them to know that they can go on and be an actor if they want to be and if they have that ability,” she explains. “But regardless, even in just the moment, they’ve found their happy place. They’re in a safe place to create and be alongside each other.”
The stage will see performers from as young as six to those into their eighties, as the panto will also include the community choir from Globus Theatre’s season-opening show, Desperate to be Doris. Called the Bobcaygeon Sound Collective, the choir is becoming a vibrant part of the theatre’s productions.
The choir will be once again taking to the stage during the Globus Theatre’s holiday panto “Jack and the Beanstalk,” a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)
Throughout the panto’s run, Globus Theatre will also be performing the panto for 1,200 students as school groups come from Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon, Omemee, and beyond for private showings.
“I love the career that I have — I love the opportunities it’s afforded me,” Quick says. “Being able to go to work each day and feel like you’re enjoying what you do, having fun, and making an impact is massive.”
“If I can give one kid a year that sort of feeling, that this is something that they could go on and do, that would be tremendous.”
Jack and the Beanstalk runs for eight public performances, opening at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 5 with additional evening performances at 8 p.m. on December 6 and December 12 and 13 and 2 p.m. matinee performances on December 6 and 7 and December 13 and 14.
For a full festive night out, an optional three-course Christmas dinner is available before all evening performances. For those looking to host a holiday celebration for family, friends, or employees, group bookings are also available.
“Coming to see this high energy panto is a great way to get into that holiday spirit,” says Quick. “Everybody is having a ball.”
Tickets are $35 for adults and $22.50 for children 16 and under for the show only, or $85 for adults and $42.50 for children 10 and under for dinner and the show. Tickets can be ordered online at globustheatre.com/shows-all/jack-and-the-beanstalk. For more information on group bookings, call the box office at 705-738-2037 or 1-800-304-7897.
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