JADAR

★★★★☆

If you usually sleep in the theatre, not a single moment of The Big Tiny’s Rumpelstiltskin lets your attention drift.

Rumpelstiltskin is one hell of an experience. You will interact and you will be involved. The Big Tiny proved that they know their audience and how to make them laugh. Their new take on Rumpelstiltskin is a nice blend of stand-up comedy, pantomime energy, and an interactive show, where the fourth wall is not just broken but never existed in the first place.

The show is packed with jokes that land on multiple levels. Some over exaggerated, some clearly aimed at adults, and many deeply local. Mancunian humour runs through the entire performance: sharp and very funny. At times it feels like a stand-up routine disguised as a fairy tale; at others, it’s pure interactive theatre, where the audience shouts, sings, argues, and helps move the story along. There are moments when you don’t even understand whether the actors anticipated the audience’s responses or whether the replies made them sincerely laugh.

Rumpelstiltskin, which is based on a classic fairytale, involves a Prince Charming, a wicked magician, a good fairy – Cupid (Arti Mirwani Daltry) in this case – true love and heroism. Despite the comedy, the script stays surprisingly loyal to the original tale, and somehow, this old story becomes new, silly, and irresistibly entertaining.

One of the pure delights of the production is Dame Winnie the Warden (Will Cousins, also a director and co-founder of The Big Tiny). Her costumes are fabulous, extravagant, Disney-style creations that give the show that unmistakable cartoon-come-to-life vibe.

And the songs! The team cleverly weaves in tunes that everyone knows, including a hilarious Arctic Monkeys moment (“I’m Rumpelstiltskin, don’t you know?”), which instantly turned into my favourite.

Prince Dierdrick (Josh Radcliffe) is, of course, charming, handsome, and fits the fairy-tale image perfectly, but when it comes to singing the high notes, he doesn’t quite get there. Yet the more you watch him, the more you start to wonder whether this is intentional. It feels almost like a classic cartoon figure, where the prince is flawless in every respect except singing. The audience still adores him, and the mismatch between his perfect princely appearance and not-so-perfect vocals becomes part of the comedy rather than a flaw.

And then there’s Rumpelstiltskin himself, played by Lewys Taylor. His voice is spectacular, a candidate to be the strongest in the male cast. He carries every musical moment with real charisma and earns sympathy from the audience. 

Rumpelstiltskin is a show that children probably shouldn’t see — not because it’s inappropriate, but because the humour, the references, and even the dad jokes are obviously crafted for adults. This pantomime is a fairy tale with a Manchester accent, and a classic story reimagined with joyful sauciness. It is chaotic, local, musical, and most importantly, extremely fun. A perfect night out if you want to laugh loudly and take a break from everyday routine.

Rumpelstiltskin runs at Contact (Space 1) until December 31.