Pantomime 5-12 January 2008 All Saints Church Hall
Dick Whittington
Written and directed by John Desbottes
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 Dick, who by now has met and fallen in love with Alice Fitzwarren and been taken on in the stores, he casts a spell over Jack. Jack unwittingly takes a bag of money and puts it in Dick’s 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, where Dick 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.
Cast & crew
Cast
- Alderman Fitzwarren
- Ian Watson
- Union Official
- Jane Manns
- Jill
- Helen Johnson
- Sarah
- John Shepherd
- Jack
- Phil Damerell
- King Rat
- Tim Crump
- Fairy Bow Bells
- Catherine Reid
- Dick Whittington
- Jo Emery
- Tommy the Cat
- Catherine Roberts
- Alice Fitzwarren
- Hazel Istead
- Captain Cockle
- Adam Damerell
- Mate Mussel
- Chris Reid
- Sultana of Morocco
- Jane Manns
Chorus: Miss Penny’s Princesses
Siobhan Norman, Zoe Kindynis, Laura Chapman, Sarah Rogers, Zoe Hanson, Amy Downes, Lucy Reynolds, Olivia Bryne
Children's Chorus: Miss Penny’s Poppets
Ellie Holmes, Ella Mallozzi, Francesca Brown, Isabella Giles, Lily Gavigan, Jessica Sampson, Chloe Hunt, Jessica Pomroy
Children's Chorus: Miss Penny’s Peaches
Imogen Ramsden, Victoria Johnson, Lucie Stranack, Kristina Flexman, Sophie Doddiemeade, Fiona McNevin, Sofie Spacey, Katherine Self
Crew
- Director
- John Desbottes
- Assistant Director
- Dot Reid
- Writer
- John Desbottes
- Choreographer
- Penny Parks
- Musical Director
- Chris Greenhalgh
- Musician (Drums)
- Ross Clark
- Musician (Keyboard)
- Sarah Hume
- Stage Manager
- David Thomas
- Assistant Stage Manager
- Fiona Watson, Sarah Smith
- Set Design & Painting
- Di Ralston, Nicola Emery, with scenery painters Don Ralston, Angela Caygill, June Knolles, Debbie Butler, Don Newman, Graham Webb
- Lighting Design
- Ian Barlow
- Lighting
- Simon Barlow, Daniel Barlow, Paul Barlow
- Costumes & Wardrobe
- Catherine Roberts
- Props
- Sarah Smith
- Front of House Manager
- Alan Yardley
The Programme
The original programme from the show. Flick through it here, or download a copy to keep.
pages · Souvenir programme
Photos
Dick Whittington 2008 Photos
Review
“Once again this company have turned out a hugely enjoyable, traditional panto.”
Once again this company have turned out a hugely enjoyable, traditional panto.
Particular strengths are its beautiful sets, colourful costumes and original, witty script by John Desbottes, who also directs so gets exactly (we hope!) what he intended from the cast.
This is led as usual by John Shepherd, playing his umpteenth dame, Sarah the cook. I think the scenery could collapse and he would still sail through with his boisterous mixture of relaxed charm and armoury of ad-libs which make us in the audience feel so comfortable when he is up there on stage.
I like the way he gets everyone in the mood right from the start, initiating all the little panto novices into the curious world of hissing, booing and look-behind-you until their enthusiastic volume practically raises the roof.
Jo Emery is a leggy principal boy as Dick and has the delightful companionship of Catherine Roberts’ cuddly comical cat Tommy. This feline is a real personality and I like the twist that although he can talk, only the audience can understand what he is saying.
There is more comedy from nautical double act Captain Cockle (a smooth Adam Damerell) and his dopey Mate (Chris Reid) with Catherine Reid as Fairy Bow Bells and Tim Crump as the wicked King Rat delivering their rhyming couplets with style.
Hazel Istead and Helen Johnson are a couple of feisty females as Alice and Jill, disguising themselves as sailors to join the ship’s crew and keep an eye on their menfolk. And there is sterling service from Phil Damerell as Jack, Ian Watson as the Alderman (who would look more dignified in a pair of trousers!) and Jane Manns doubling as union official (don’t ask!) and the Sultana of Morocco.
The Penny Parks dancers are creatively used and a highlight for me was the beautifully realised dream scene which ended the first half.
And none of this would have been possible without the support of Chris Greenhalgh and his musicians and a talented backstage team, so congratulations to one and all.
Dick Whittington 2008 Review,