Dick Whittington

This year’s annual pantomime from the Jigsaw Players was a classic version of Dick Whittington.  As always with Jigsaw, most of the roles were split into two casts – Team London and Team Whittington.  On the night of my visit it was Team London that were on duty, but I’m sure that their Whittington counterparts did an equally splendid job when their turn came around. 

As the show opened, we were introduced to Tommy the Cat (Autumn Graham), who performed a charming little ballet, accompanied by some of the panto dancers.  Soon, Tommy was joining up with Dick Whittington himself, played in traditional, Principal Boy style by Claire Dealaselle.  They made their way to London, where they met Alderman Fitzwarren, confidently portrayed by Glyn Diggett, and his daughter Alice (a charming Francesca Johnson).  We also met Fairy Bowbells (Maisy Williams) who popped up at opportune moments – always speaking in rhyme, as is traditional.

Meanwhile, up to no good, was King Rat – excellently played by Harrison Daley in hard rocking style and sporting a hairdo redolent of the artist formerly known as Prince.  He also had a superbly manic cackle, which was frequently deployed to good effect.  He was accompanied by a band of Ratz, whose furtive appearance frequently preceded that of the King himself, and got the audience in the appropriate booing mood!  There was also some very nice lighting whenever these bad rodents appeared, which really accentuated the mood. 

Of course, no panto would be complete without a Dame, and Jigsaw have a great one in the form of Stephen Levett, who this time donned the frock(s) as Sarah Stewpot.  His was ably assisted in the panto madness by Daniel Webber as Idle Jack, an effervescent performer with great physicality and bundles of comic energy.  They shared some really good routines together, including one set in Sarah’s bakery and another in Fitzwarren’s store.

As the story progressed, and Dick’s trip to the East loomed, we met Captain Slog (great character name, and nice to see a Star Trek reference, too good an opportunity to pass up!) and their Bosun, played by Laura Hodgkin and Tracy Hart respectively.  They had a great introductory scene, full of fabulously groan worthy puns on the theme of ships and the sea. 

This was a panto packed full of great musical numbers.  I really enjoyed ‘I Predict a Riot’, full of high kicking energy; ‘Go West’, which had a great contribution from the whole ensemble; and ‘The Impossible Dream’, showcasing a strong vocal performance from Glyn Diggett.  The classic panto number ‘If I Were Not in Pantomime’ was here repurposed as ‘If I Were Not Aboard This Ship’ to hilarious effect, with the co-ordinated movements very much appreciated by the whole audience. 

Into the second half, and our heroes made their way to Morocco, where they were menaced, in an entertaining ‘behind you’ sequence by Reuben Hodgkin’s Karaffe, the Witch Doctor.  Sheika Yahmoney (another good character name), played by Jennie Whipp, then appeared to explain the island’s rat problem, clearing the way for Tommy to do his stuff, much to the chagrin of King Rat, and send Dick Whittington home a hero! 

This was a really fun show, full of bright colours (well done to the costume department) and full on, energetic performances.  There were many nice touches, including a series of really good routines from the panto dancers – a great contribution from them as always.  The chorus of panto villagers and sailors (including a healthy batch of juniors and teens) all played their part too, giving their all and wonderfully showcasing Jigsaw’s inclusive ethos. 

My congratulations to Director Maggie Bishton and her entire team for providing a great experience for young and old.  Not even an errant fire alarm (which turned out to be false, thankfully) during the final sequence of songs could spoil the fun, as the whole cast came together to send us into the night with smiles on our faces.  Well done, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon. 

Chris Davies – Regional Representative – District 5.

Sadly, I was unable to attend Jigsaw’s pantomime last year due to other commitments, so I was delighted to have space in the diary for Dick Whittington. The pantomime was described as “A Traditional Family Pantomime”, and I am pleased to say it truly lived up to this description.

Maggie Bishton, the director, is always deserving of special recognition. A past award winner, she continues to champion the company’s all-inclusive policy, welcoming participants regardless of disability or personal circumstances.

Chris attended and reported on Team London; I was fortunate enough to see Team Whittington. While many of the principals were the same—and I wholeheartedly agree with Chris’s comments regarding those cast members—I saw great  performances from Hannah Price as Dick, Naomi Waldron as Alice, Ebony Waldron as Tommy, and Libby Barrett as Idle Jack. The ship’s crew, Slog and the Bosun, were played by Keelan Pavitt and Roma Bradley respectively, with Mary Wilson appearing as the Fairy.

The dancers and ensemble brought great energy throughout the performance. I particularly enjoyed “If I Were Not Aboard This Ship”.

Following the final curtain, I was able to say a few words to the cast and everyone present, whether members of Jigsaw or audience members. It was evident that everyone enjoyed the afternoon as much as I did. I am confident they are already looking forward to the next production by this company—and I most certainly am.

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands.

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