Dick Whittington

Friends of the Art Theatre and New Mills & District Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society. 

On Saturday 1st February, I travelled to New Mills to watch their production of "Dick Whittington," the classic tale of a young man who, down on his luck, journeys to London seeking fame and fortune, believing the streets are paved with gold. Accompanied by his cat, he encounters various characters in London, falls in love, and faces the villainous King Rat. New Mills did a splendid job of retelling this story as a traditional pantomime. While I admire modern twists on classics, there's something uniquely charming about a traditional pantomime.

From the opening scene of London Town, we were immersed in a vibrant world of colours, vocals, and smiles. The ensemble delivered a fantastic rendition of "We Built This City," which had the audience tapping their feet and singing along—myself included. The stage seemed almost too small to accommodate all the young performers, yet it did! Director Cathryn Yates and choreographer Tegan Williams did an excellent job coordinating the ensemble’s lines, formations, entrances, and exits. It can be challenging to manage a large ensemble without creating a bottleneck on exiting the stage, but they succeeded. Kudos to them both! The costumes, coordinated by Alice Bowden, Alex Jackaman, Hazel Bowker, and Barbara Bowler, were spot-on and visually cohesive, especially during the finale.

On stage, we were introduced to many traditional pantomime characters. Ross Provart gave a delightful performance as Idle Jack, showcasing expressive skills and perfect dialogue intonation. He's definitely a talent to watch! William Kerr, as King Rat, commanded the stage, eliciting boos and hisses from the audience with his strong characterisation and convincing interactions. Kai Harman (Dick Whittington) and Charlotte Parry (Alice Fitzwarren) had a genuine on-stage connection. Though there were some vocal issues, their projection and characterisation through dialogue delivery remained strong. I must say, however, that just waiting that extra couple of seconds until the audience have settled from clapping will help in delivering dialogue, sometimes this was lost when some characters spoke over the audience’s applause.

A classic pantomime isn't complete without a comedy duo. Frank and Sammy, played by Ginny Kerr and Lisa Quin respectively, were King Rat’s sidekicks, bringing excellent movement, comedic timing, and vocals to their roles. It was evident they had used the rehearsal time well to perfect their performances. Ava Hibbert played Dick’s cat, Eileen, with grace and elegance, consistently maintaining character from entrance to exit. I couldn’t help but hope for a rendition of "Come on Eileen!"

The set design and traditional backdrops supported the story’s narrative, while the lighting changed in colour, intensity, and design adding further interest to the overall performance. It was a joy to have a live band, musically directed by Claire Sweeney, who’s carefully arranged musical numbers enhanced the overall performance.

Despite a few sound and vocal issues, this pantomime did not disappoint. The slick, creative, and well-executed staging made for a wonderful traditional pantomime experience. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Kim Cooper and her team for their warm hospitality throughout my visit. I eagerly look forward to visiting again soon.

Andy Milthorpe

NODA District 1 Representative 

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