Dick Whittington - 2008

by John Desbottes
5th-12th January 2008

Synopsis

Alderman Fitzwarren, the owner of Fitzwarren’s Stores is a wealthy merchant and trades in silks from the East Meanwhile, deep in the sewers, King Rat is plotting to take over the world but Fairy Bow Bells is determined to stop him and looks for a champion to aid her, and so when our eponymous hero arrives in London and meets Tommy, the cat, she decides that they are the ideal candidates.

King Rat has other ideas and to disgrace Jack, who by now has met and fallen in love with Alice Fitzwarren and taken on in the stores, he casts a spell over Jack. Jack unwittingly takes a bag of money and puts it in Jacks belongings. Dick is accused of being a thief and, along with Tommy, is banished from London.

Dick and Tommy get as far as Highgate Hill and rests awhile and dreams of Fairy Bow Bells calling him back to London –“Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London”. Determined to follow his dream, he returns to London to seek his fame and fortune and signs on to Fitzwarren’s ship which is about to sail. Sarah signs on as the ship’s cook and Alice and Jill, to stay with their men, disguise themselves as sailors and sign on as well.

Again King Rat tries to do away with Dick by forcing Jack to sink the ship but not before Sarah accidentally reveals that Alice and Jill are on board. Women on board is a bad omen and sure enough the ship is lost. Fairy Bow Bells however manages to save all hands and they are washed up on the shores of the Sultanate of Morocco which is plagued by rats. The Sultana has offered a reward for anyone who can rid the land of rats.

Dick declares he can do this with his champion Rat Catcher, Tommy, and between them they defeat King Rat and Dick and Alice are married and Dick does indeed become the Lord Mayor of London.