Dick Whittington

I often think Dick Whittington is a difficult one on some fronts, however I always appreciate the work that goes into using such a large cast on the Spotlight stage – which is a feat of its own!

The scenery was very evocative of the times, and mostly the changes worked a well, a few that could have been more streamlined with a bit of thought.  Lighting and sound were good throughout, however I felt King Rat’s spot did not light him as well as the Fairy’s spot did her – which didn’t give him as much visual impact.

Musically very good – lovely voices and good harmonies, however I felt some of the numbers chosen were more suited to a ‘musicals’ production and not panto, a little too serious, despite suiting the performers well.  Mostly the choreography was suitable to the various abilities, however, I felt harem dancers doing very modern moves did not necessarily sit right.  Just my opinion, as I like the movement to reflect the character if possible.  The Jason Kids were appealing, I particularly liked their tap number.

Costumes were mostly good, and looked pristine.  I felt Dick’s costume was a little too strait-laced for the character, I would have liked to have seen something a little more young-looking and devil-may-care to suit the persona, and Alice’s white hat was not a good look!  Fairy Chime looked more ‘Steam Punk’, but it suited her spirited persona.

Louise Kirtley (Fairy Chime) and Luke Ricketts (King Rat) gave us a marked good versus evil vibe, and they had good rapport with the audience – well achieved.

Neil Lyons (Alderman Fitzwarren) created the older stateman role nicely, showing his irascible nature, as well as a kinder side.

Olivia Dyson (Alice) was a delight, charming and showing good relationships with her father and Dick.  I enjoyed the partnership between Olivia and Kate Sanders (Dick) – Kate created a great principal boy, sang beautifully and showed care for Tommy and Alice.

Andy Kirtley (Sarah) again showed his ‘Dame’ portrayal well, good interaction with the audience and with Michael Champness D’Abreu (Idle Jack).  This pair characterised their parts nicely and Michael had some good asides with the audience too.

Warren McWilliams (Captain) gave us a great comedy persona, with a propensity for not being able to pronounce his “r’s”, which gave rise to much hilarity.  Elaine Miller (Captain’s Mate) was suitably dim, which added some good comedy moments.  Both well-played with excellent comedy emphasis.

Siobhan Welch (Tommy) was a super feisty cat, all the right feline movements, and injecting plenty of personality and energy – very well-achieved.

Alex Rolle (Sultana) created a regal but animated character, to round off this good cast of diverse characters.

A little lacking in pace at times, but overall a nicely-presented and enjoyable pantomime. My thanks to BTC for their continued hospitality, always a pleasure to visit you.

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