Dick Whittington's Greatest Adventure

I thought that this was a Panto almost out of season, but then I asked myself is there really a season for Pantomime, as Panto is a time for both cast and audience to enjoy themselves. To laugh and listen to silly jokes for children and a bit of innuendo for adults so perhaps there really isn’t a season for Panto anymore and this show proved that there isn’t.

The Corn Exchange has a large stage and needs a good-sized cast to fill it and to keep the action moving along. Here the company were really helped by having a wide range of ages and talents who all played their roles to the best of their abilities.

The sets and scenery for this show were colourful and effective, the back cloths for both Fitzwarren’s Store and HMS Hopeful were very effective together with stage dressing. Scene changes were quick and efficient with no distraction from the pace of the show. All the costumes were effective and colourful, suited each character and were well matched throughout the cast giving a unifying and colourful presence on stage. A word of congratulation to the wardrobe team for this. There was nothing too over the top with make-up which was very good, there no washed out faces and hair and wigs were well done.

Movement and choreography throughout the show was slick and well planned and a lot of thanks to Jamie John whose professionalism and talent showed what can be done with a varied ability cast. Entrances and movement on and off stage whether individually or as a group were slick, so often in Panto there appears to be a mad rush to get all the cast-off stage at once. Nothing was choreographed about the talents of those performing and this was evident in the joy in the faces of those performing.

Movement, costume, make-up and sets are nothing if the sound and lighting are second rate, This was not the case in this production, the lighting was imaginative and good, sound levels were very good. This was clearly demonstrated in the Company singing which was loud and clear and sung with feeling, there were some lovely solo’s and duets from the Principals, unfortunately the songs were not listed separately in the programme so I couldn’t name any individually. 

A pantomime is nothing if there is no audience interaction, This show was no exception despite the fact that the audience was dotted around the auditorium, everyone around me seemed to be enjoying themselves enormously, joining in where they were able to.

There were a lot of good performances from the principals, Andy and Tom as Captain Nelson and Half Nelson seemed to be most appropriately cast and enjoyed their roles. Emily as Fairy Bow Bells, Darcy as Charley Chav played their roles well. I particularly enjoyed Lana as Sixpence and Phoebe as Tuppence, two cats for the price of one played with enthusiasm, good characterisation and performances they obviously thoroughly enjoyed their roles, well done girls. Who doesn’t like the Dame in Panto, and who doesn’t want to play it? Mike Miles as Daisy Dumpling was good – loud and enthusiastic and as always had the best costumes. Callum and Alana as the Fitzwarrens were good in their roles and who knew that they had a sulky daughter Mary, well played (not sure whether I saw Alex or Eliana) as a stroppy, jealous sister.

Jordan as Dick Whittington and Gabby as Alice Fitzwarren played and sang their roles really well, movement, emotion, passion was all played out, nice voices and lovely songs, they deserved the roles that they had.

The show had the advantage of the superb talents of King Rat, the real baddie played to perfection by Jamie John, and how lucky you are to have his talent shining as a beacon for the entire cast to follow and try to emulate. That amazing voice and the costume were second to none. His choreography and encouragement shone throughout the show.

To the production team of Les Miles, Tim Rock and Jamie John congratulations on bringing a diverse team with so much latent talent to the stage in a great production of Dick Whittington’s Greatest Adventure.

A final word to say thank you to the young lady so smartly dressed who signed throughout the performance.

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