Dick Whittington

I was very pleased to be able to cover for my NODA colleague, Bryan Craven, at the STARS companys' latest pantomime. This group have a fantastic reputation for drama, presenting some excellent plays for their community and beyond. I was not prepared for this zany and different pantomime, the like I have not seen elsewhere this season! What a breath of fresh air! Although called 'Dick Whittington', there were also references and appearances from lots more pantomimes - the basic story of Dick and his cat (a black cat, called Snowy!) was there, with a heady mix of many characters and storylines.

Jointly written by Chris Binns (a brilliant Dame Cynthia) and Chris Townsley, there were no gaps between the gags, much to the merriment of a packed audience, who were as well-rehearsed as those on the stage! Chris Binns had directed a talented cast to the very best of their abilities, assisted by Chris Townsley and I was pleased to see a number of youngsters on the stage, all word perfect, handling comedy and slapstick with maturity. We had romance from Dick and Alice, a feisty Cat, the nasty Sir Bilious/King Rat, an eccentric Alderman Fitzwarren, Alice's Maid, a comedic Belle and 'Ant and Dec wannabies', Hack and Dent! We had the benifit of a Narrator, Buttons, who thought the pantomime was 'Cinderella'! (wasn't as confusing as it sounds!) The whole company put their hearts and souls into the show. There was a camaraderie and team spirit amongst the whole company, beginning with welcoming front-of-house staff. The backstage crew also provided well designed and colourful sets and I particularly liked the use of cut-out style props, excellently made. I knew the music would be in the safe hands of Peter Boyes (Musical Director) with a good mix of old and new songs, sung well by the cast. Costumes, in the care of Clare Burnside and Margaret Townsley, were spot-on - the Dame's costumes, from the Theatre Royal, York, worn with great panache by Chris Binns, were stunning and a great talking point! - make up,lighting and sound were all of a high standard. I can't wait to see what this company presents next year!

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