Dick Whittington

The show started with King Rat entering from the side door into the auditorium, and he did this with huge volume and energy. This level of energy by characters making entrances was continued without exception throughout the panto and made a big contribution to the excellent pace throughout.
King Rat's costume was beautifully designed with an immense amount of attention to detail and this was only one of a myriad of exquisite costumes. I lost count of the number of changes the Dame made, with each costume seemingly more extravagant than the last. Other Principals including Captain Cuttlefish, Scupper, Alderman Fitzwarren, Dick and Alice had lovely costumes, all individual and yet working together to create an overall coordinated look. The chorus members each had several costumes, from townsfolk to sailors and harem girls, and the ratlings' street-style clothes were just right. The whole cast were clothed in red, white and blue for the spectacular finale. Costumes were complemented by excellent wigs and make up, and this was best demonstrated by Tom the Cat. I really must commend the costume department, hair and make up for your excellent work.
The entry of Fairy Bowbells set up the rivalry between good and evil. Each entry of the Fairy and King Rat was preceded by an excellent smoke effect and lighting change, and these were generally well timed. I particularly liked the green wash that accompanied King Rat's scenes.
Pantomime needs to be 'over-the-top' and 'big', whilst still being genuine, and this production certainly achieved this. All characters brought energy onto the stage, interacted with the audience and encouraged audience participation, with a good mix of line delivery 'out front' and to each other. There was some nice thigh slapping from Dick, and a lot of well-placed jibes at other visiting panto groups from neighbouring villages, not to mention some beautifully delivered innuendo (by which I mean over the heads of small children but wickedly funny to the adults).
There was a lot of comedy in this show.  Much of it came from the script, but even so, the laughs would not have come without good timing and pace, both of which were in evidence here. The set pieces were also well performed. The shipwreck scene was enhanced by some good lighting and smoke effects, and the staggering of the passengers was well performed.
The spectacular finale was a fitting climax to an excellent show, and it was lovely to see each chorus member receiving their own applause. This is a society which clearly values it's members, and the result is a thriving group who perform to a very high standard. Thank you for a lovely evening's entertainment.
 

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