Dick Whittington

Panto season continues….oh yes it does! Sorry couldn’t resist!

With a title like “Dick Whittington” you know it’s going to be a prime material for innuendo throughout the panto script and certainly that was apparent throughout with lots of naughty innuendos throughout.  Admittedly I did think a few were a little close for comfort, but the children in the audience seemed none the wiser and the adults were well and truly entertained.

Directed by Brian Waldock-Leach and staged at Deptford Community Centre, Sunderland Theatre Company brought a bright, lively and entertaining pantomime to the audience in the week after Christmas.  Antoinette Brindley was a light-hearted goodie as Fairy Bow Bells against Rebecca Crackett as Queen Rat whose presence was excellent and she looked marvellous.  Olivia Bowern was a beautiful and sweet Alice, Mathew Clarke a hilarious Idle Jack, and Kristan Bailey a dashing Dick Whittington.  The traditional dame Sarah the cook was played well by Nathan Dippie and the two funny characters and sidekicks to Queen Rat, Rizi and Tizi rat were played by Samantha Kennedy and Helen Clarke.  Steve Dodds played Alderman Fitzwarren very well, as did Demilee Turnbull playing Tommy the Cat.  Other supporting roles were Captain Bulge played by Stephen O’Faye, Vanessa Bowern as a Sailor, Jorden Hildrew as the Sultan of Morocco, villagers played by Laura Cranston, Jordan Grace, Olivia Scott and Joe Cooke.

Traditional pantomime views were used with the musical comedy taking place on stage with bright lovely costumes, storytelling through facial expression and body movement, silly storytelling and exaggerated gestures presenting a generic tale of good and evil.  There was some lovely singing, silly messy scenes, a love story and plenty of innuendo.

A lovely evening entertainment despite the cold!  Well done guys!

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