Dick Whittington and his Cat

The production team of Cheryl Collings, Eddie Busehill, and Annamarie Sterne plus all the other departments involved really put on a very lively and colourful show, lots of parts and chorus work, and a good script from Ben Crocker.

I knew that there was something different when we did not have the appearance of ‘The Norfolk Fairy’ to open and introduce the story, but all was explained later in the action.

And so the opening was orchestrated by another great performance from Ian Cashmore as King Rat, always such a strong characterisation from him, and how we loved to boo him. Missing the Norfolk Fairy we were treated to a younger and less experienced Fairy Bow bells from Marta Vilka but she held her own in verse on the side of good.

What a star of the future, young Georgie Ellson was a very mobile and delightfully friendly Tommy the Cat who stole all our hearts and solved all the problems in this story.

A very nice principal boy as Dick Whittington from Jac Gatfield (also scenery design), she worked in great accord with Tommy and also with Alice from Sophie Lewis, nice duets. John King a strong Alderman Fitzwarren, now obviously one of the cast side of footlights instead of up on the lighting board, and enjoying treading the boards. And in the Idle Jack role, and showing the experience of a previous pantomime seen this year, young Jack Jarvis at 15 years showed the natural comedy timing and fun and stage presence to belie his years and we can watch and wait for future developments another year.

And to add to the comedy touches we had Paul Nursey as Sarah the Cook and Paul Reynolds as Captain Horatio Cockle, both showing their apprenticeships are fulfilled to give big personalities to their fun characters and to keep the action to speed. And we all bobbed up and down in noisy actions as instructed!

On the shores of Morocco, Will Houlton in charge, and we discovered through a ‘letter in bottle’ the Australian whereabouts of Sheila the Norfolk Fairy Olley and Pat the comedy king and often dame Nearney, and why they were missing from the Mundesley stage this year.

A large ensemble of adults and lots of children, all very lively and full of energy, in full voice and synchronised to perfection in their ‘hand jive’ movements, an excellent chorus.

Loved the UV sequence with not only the fish and octopus, but all sizes of the ‘Shark Song’ in pale blue and in time to the song we have heard throughout this pantomime season.

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