Dick Whittington

A pantomime should be fun, fast-paced, and full of energy, and Workington & District Amateur Musical Society’s Dick Whittington ticked all the right boxes. This was a wonderfully performed show, packed with charm, great comedic timing, and some excellent musical numbers that had the audience thoroughly entertained.

Leading the cast was Emily Houghton as Dick Whittington. A strong, confident performance with solid vocals, she closed the first act with a forceful rendition of Where I Wanna Be, ensuring the audience was left eagerly anticipating the second act.

Every good panto needs a standout Dame, and Eric Finlay absolutely delivered as Sarah the Cook. Taking on such a huge role is no small feat, but Eric made it look effortless. He was a wonderfully likeable presence, effortlessly engaging with the audience and landing every joke with precision. The DVD routine was performed to perfection alongside Jack Pike, whose boundless energy and impeccable comic timing had the audience laughing throughout.  However, it was his show-stopping Mind The Gap in Act Two—a rapid-fire list of every London Underground station—that cemented Eric’s status as the night’s biggest crowd-pleaser.

Of course, no fairytale is complete without a villain, and Sarah Deans played Queen Rat with just the right level of wickedness. Sarah was a commanding presence on stage, ensuring that boos and hisses rang out loud and clear.

Technically, the production was fantastic. Staging was simple yet effective, and both sound and lighting were well executed. A minor show stop right at the beginning momentarily threatened to derail things, but these are the inevitable challenges of such technically ambitious amateur productions. The most important thing was how well and swiftly it was handled—professionalism at its finest. 

Once it had settled down after its initial first-night nerves, the video screen proved to be a great asset, adding an extra dimension to the production with well-crafted visuals.

Pacing was excellent, keeping the energy levels high throughout. Director Kimberley Hazzard ensured the show flowed seamlessly, and there were some lovely creative touches sprinkled throughout. Likewise, Emily Houghton’s choreography was well-executed—a particularly impressive achievement given her dual role as both choreographer and performer. I absolutely loved the Sweet Shop routine – a showstopper! If there was one moment that could have packed a little more punch, it was A Sailor Went to Sea—while well performed, it lacked a bit of the sparkle that the rest of the show had in abundance.

Musically, the show was in safe hands under the direction of Mark Hazzard. The cast delivered some excellent vocal performances, particularly Can't Help Falling In Love With You further enhancing what was already a strong production.

Overall, this was a stellar pantomime, with a cast that clearly had as much fun performing as the audience had watching. The laughter, cheers, and enthusiastic participation from the crowd spoke for itself—this was a show that delivered exactly what a great panto should. Well done to all involved!

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