Dick Whittington

What a great family show much appreciated by the capacity audience, the buzz and noisy anticipation before the curtain rise said it all.

A large cast filling the stage, energetic dance routines performed with verve and slickness, lively numbers sung to the full volume, comedy exploited and well timed, this was a company show which made full use of the story-line in this Limelight Script, congratulations to all in the production team. Colourful sets and costumes enhanced the whole production, and as for the Dame ‘glamour’ costumes, well they were quite amazing and very different, and needed the right person to wear them!

Opening with the battle of good and evil, Natasha Parker had the clarity of diction and the youthful attractiveness ideal for Fairy Bowbelle, and in stark contrast to the malevolence and sulphur green hatred of King Rat from Sam Sadler, and how the audience booed and hated him.

For the traditional story-line, Alex Chidichimo came over in strong realisation as Dick Whittington with his delightful black cat Tommy stealing our hearts from Harriet Baldock. A charming Alice by Tilly Baron, light of foot for the dance routines, sweet of voice for the numbers, and easy on the eye, played well to other characters, a very good principal girl. And as Alderman Fitzwarren, Grant Harrison added much to the flow of the show and the story, stage presence, smooth experience and interactions.

And to the comedy roles: Grace Dodd and Maria Cutting as Shove/Mustapha and Spade/Leak were faster than light in their routines and situations and dialogue timing, plus being there for all the chorus numbers, they were an incredible team with the funny lines. But not to be outdone, Paula Graver as Idle Jack not only had her own comedy lines delivered with timing, interacted with Shove and Leak, but acted as a real hit-man foil to the Dame Sarah the Cook, and again led from the front in the big numbers.

Good interaction and timing between Captain Bilgewater (Judith Semmons) and Scupper(Jacob Lee Watts) for the ‘sea sequences’, keeping the story going. And in Morocco, the Sultana (Lucy Ferris) was certainly in control and not a happy person with the rat invasion, nor with her terrible daughter from hell Florabunda played with energy, noise, and full comedy-turn by Becky Jefcoate.

And finally the star of the show, Ben Francis as Sarah: stature and style and great presence and perfection timing for all his comedy lines, the vocals ideal and the dancing done as a choreographer would want, great legs shown off in those tights and high heels revealed by those very different costumes designed by the Hudsons (what glamour and imagination), and as for those wigs with headdress, how did he keep them on, must have been eight foot tall from top to toe, most impressive in every way.

A perfect family pantomime.

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