Dick Whittington and his Cat

From the off, Kinver Light Operatic Society’s production of “Dick Whittington and his Cat” was everything that you wanted from a pantomime.  Rachel Bloomer’s production had everything for a feel-good pantomime performance – silly jokes, great songs and musical accompaniment, tremendous performances from brilliant characters, lavish costumes and scenery, loads of audience participation and everyone having a brilliant time while they were doing it!

Ricky Houston-Dowell’s as Dick Whittington, set the tone with just the right amount of swagger and aplomb as the Principal Boy, supported beautifully with simplicity and talent by Emily Osborne as Alice Fitzwarren. Scott Denton’s Sarah the Cook soon had the audience on his side with great comic timing and outrageous costumes and giving as good as she got as Idle Jack, Claire Jackson was a great partner to Scott! Ben Williams’ King Rat was suitably menacing, scaring the younger members of the audience as he should – his make up was amazing, in contrast Nikki Harris’ Fairy Bowbells, was a worthy opponent to Ben, giving as good as she got. Paul Costello as the Captain, Deb Neale as his sidekick, the Captain’s Mate, and Rob Pinner as the Sultan of Morocco had some great opportunities to excel in their scenes.  Then there was the other title character, The Cat, played by Sam Houston-Dowell, who gave us the absolute pinnacle of panto performances – he was irreverent, he was hilariously funny, he played the part to its nth degree and the audience couldn’t get enough of him – brilliant!

The principal characters were superbly supported by an amazing ensemble of adults and young people whose enthusiasm flowed into the auditorium and it never wavered.

A tremendous band under Musical Director, Kate Cox, complemented the action on stage and the singers beautifully – I have to admit, some of the numbers were new to me but as the younger members of the audience joyfully joined in at the tops of their voices, I guess that it highlighted my advancing years, but I can tell you, they fitted the action perfectly. The numbers went hand in hand with Ellen Jones’ energetic and perfectly executed choreography. Technically, the show flowed seamlessly and many congratulations to all involved.

All in all a great night at the theatre sent everyone away with a real feel-good feeling, the society should be justifiably proud of all their hard work.

My sincere thanks to everyone at KLOS for their kind hospitality which was very much appreciated.

Ian Thompson Regional Representative District 8

Kinver’s long-awaited pantomime returned in style after its 2024 cancellation due to flooding—and it was more than worth the wait. As a Regional Councillor fortunate enough to attend many pantomimes each year, I can confidently say this was one of the most enjoyable I have seen. Rarely have I laughed out loud so often or so heartily.

Every element of the production was delivered to an exceptional standard. The direction was sharp and assured, the diction clear throughout, and the vocals and choreography polished and energetic. The cast worked seamlessly together, creating a vibrant and engaging performance from start to finish.

A standout performance came from Sam Houston-Dowell, whose comic timing was impeccable. From his very first entrance to the final curtain, he commanded the stage with hilarious facial expressions, expressive physicality, and a brilliant ability to draw every ounce of humour from each scene. His performance will linger long in the memory.

This was a thoroughly entertaining and professionally executed production. Congratulations to all involved—I am already eagerly anticipating their next show, The Wizard of Oz.

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor, NODA West Midlands

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