Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. Today I will be giving my review or Dick Whittington which I saw at The Theatre Royal in Nottingham on 16th December 2023, with two of my brilliant actor friends.
I’m a massive fan of Pantomime, as regardless of how old you are anyone can enjoy it. This was also a show I did with Newark Community Pantomime 5 years ago, so I could not miss this opportunity to see it in a professional theatre. This featured a wonderful cast, 2 of which were well known faces whilst there were some that were not established but deserved their chance to shine.
This starred Shane Ritchie as the titular role. I can see why he was cast as Dick, as he was the leading male and the comic merged into one. And I was surprise on how well it worked, as normally you would have a male lead and a comic separately, but it just goes to show that anything is possible. His little moment of taking a photo as well was off the chart.
Of course I also have to praise Dr Ranj as the spirit of bow bells. He was the life and soul of this panto, as he was bubbly, energetic and after previously appearing on strictly he has still got the moves.
There were also some actors who were not well known but stood out to me. These included Emily Beth Harrington who played Alice Fitzwarren, which was the same role I played in the community version of the pantomime a few years ago. Her voice was insane, especially with her solo towards the end of act 1, where she questioned of Dick did commit the crime (which of course we all know the answer to).
Let’s not forget the ensemble as they bring the show together. The routines may look simple, but my guess is they’re harder than they look. I credit the dancers that do it as that make it look so easy. Especially Kitty Cat who should be a marvel superhero.
As well as the actors, there were also the traditional pantomime moments which got me right on board. These included the call and response (“Oh No It Isn’t”, “Oh Yes It Is” and “It’s Behind You”), and the musical moments. This took place in act 2 where dick was answering a question in the form of a certain song. For some reason it tickles my funny bones every time and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s just the child in me looking for some joy.
The other tradition I admired was the 12 Days of Shipwreck (basically 12 Days of Christmas but in the sea), where it all went abit chaotic (which of course is expected in a pantomime). There was one moment where the spirit threw the rings in the audience twice, and also where Dick fell the backdrop with the actors running back stage. Those were the only moments where I wasn’t sure if it was planned or not, so I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or not. Either way it was entertaining.
The songs in the show were really catchy. I can’t remember the words for them all, but the two that stood out to me were queen Rats version of “bad guy” and the opening of act 2.
Queen Rats (played by Anne Smith) version of bad guy was fiendishly fabulous. It was in time, the rhythm was spot on and even though she was a villain you couldn’t help but nod along with the music. The opening of act 2 was fantastic, as it was the number that opened my version of this popular pantomime. But when the YMCA remix came in it was a nice surprise to see. Definitely one to remember.
The final part of the show rush stood out to me were the sets and costumes. These included queen rats assistants, and for them to dance in those costumes and masks must be a challenge, but they pulled it off effortlessly. I was even more amazed by the giant rat at the beginning. How they got it to set is another question and even though I wasn’t expecting it, it was definitely a stand out moment. I also loved Sarah the cooks outfits, as of course the Dame does go over the top in outfits which of course is expected.
Overall, I would give this show a 4.75. It was fun, it was magical and a show definitely for all the family. And if I had definite clarity on if the moments during 12 Days of Shipwreck were genuine or were not supposed to happen (again this is coming from an autistic mindset), then I would've given it the full house!
See you soon for another blog! Until next time...
This is The Autistic Actress Signing off :)
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