Jigsaw Jim is a Springboard Theatre Company production that follows the Disney rules of entertainment: goodies have to be whiter than white, baddies blacker than black and never the twain shall meet in the middle. Thus we have goody two-shoes Jim (played by a female) who wants nothing more than to marry his sweet bride. Instead, his dastardly boss Mr Grind (of course) dispatches trepid Jim to the Wolvarian castle of Baron Hermione von Nasty (naturally). Lest there be any confusion as to which side of the fence our Baron (or rather Baroness) sits on, her assistant is the fetchingly named Vermin Plague. Gender roles are swapped around with gay abandon in this panto, but good is always good and evil evil.Would it be asking too much for a kids’ panto to feature fully-developed characters whose polarised personalities are tempered by shades of grey? Probably. Predictable panto villainy aside, Jigsaw Jim is truly excellent. It’s funny, it’s brilliantly acted and the whole thing is a joy to watch. While the kids get caught up in the songs and the silliness, the grown ups chortle at the badinage that’s generously lobbed in their direction. If there were any justice, not only would Hermione von Nasty have gotten her comeuppance, but the spectacle would have been enjoyed by more than the six souls who were in attendance. Seven, if you include the sweet-rustling reviewer. For the ‘Under Pressure’ Jedward spoof alone, Jigsaw Jim is essential viewing.
