Dick Whittington

Synopsis

Pantomime about a boy and his cat who set off to London to make their fortune - usually with Dick's Brother (Idle Jack) and mother - there they usually meet Baron Fitzwarren and sail away to seek treasure. In some versions King Rat goes with them to steal the treasure, in others they reach a land infested with rats where they haven't heard of cats and Dick does a deal, returning home rich he becomes Lord Mayor of London. Based extremely loosely on a real person (Richard Whittington, 1350 to 1423), there is a statue of the cat outside the Whittington Hospital in North London where Dick is supposed to have heard the bells say "Turn again Whittington, Lord Mayor of London" as he trudged away from the city. First recorded panto on this theme was in 1814.

Our Review:

Anne Morley-Priestman - 9 December 2012

There's an art to balancing pantomime. Granted, it's an entertainment primarily these days for children – but it's their elders who pay for them to see it and they all need to feel that the whole experience is worthwhile. This year's production by One From The heart of Dick Whittington has managed the balancing act to perfection.

Although the story is basically the familiar one, writer and director Simon Aylin has added some neat twists. Alice Fitzwarren (Abigail Rosser) is now the sole proprietress of the London shop; when we reach Morocco, its ruler is also female, the Sultana (Emma-Kayte Saunders) – cue culinary jokes galore. Choreographer Richard Peakman has provided some real show-stopping dances, excellently performed and costumed with real glittering style.

Then there's Tommy Jones, the coolest of streetwise moggies in Waylon Jacobs' smart performance which ditches the usual scraggy fur for dashingly-cut black lurex set...

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Latest User Review

Debra Goode - 17 December 2012:

I never normally write reviews (about anything)! However I am making an exception for this frankly brilliant production. I have been to a good few pantos over the years but this was the standout favourite by far. The writer of this fantastically fun production deserves serious credit for such a witty script that left the grown ups chuckling throughout. The high energy and pace of the show meant that even the youngest children were constantly engaged and the buzz of enthusiasm from an appeciative audience never dipped. The casting was first class and it would be unfair to single anyone out as they were each wonderful in their own way. Our party of 11 which spanned three generations loved it in equal measure. Well done to all for putting on such a great show. ...

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