Review: DICK WHITTINGTON, The Arts Centre Hounslow

As someone who moved to the UK last year, I’m still getting used to the tradition of pantomimes but have fallen in love with their boundless energy and cheesy jokes. Recently, I attended a 10:30 AM performance of Dick Whittington at the Arts Centre Hounslow, where I was one of two adults who was not there as part of a giant school group. To be quite honest, it was fantastic to see so many children going to the theatre, especially with the enthusiastic bunch I was with! Even before the show started, they were already up and out of their seats, dancing along to the preshow music (I felt much better knowing that the younger generations know Elton John). 

The plot of Dick Whittington is an interesting one, especially in the world of pantomime. It’s based on an English folktale that itself is based on the real-life Richard Whittington, a merchant and Lord Mayor of London who lived in the 1300s. In this version, directed by Laura Hannawin, Dick Whittington, played by writer Jonathan Ashby-Rock, travels with his cat, Tammy (Abbie Greenway) and is given a prophecy by the Fairy of the Bells (Ruby Hamilton) that takes him to London.

Once in London, Dick falls in love with Alice Fitzwarren (Lottie Bond-Taylor) and must face King Rat (James Lavender) in order to find his fortune. Dick, Tammy the Cat and Alice are joined by Alderman Fitzwarren (Adam Russell-Owen) and Sarah the Cook (Frances Knox), two comedic characters whose decisions lead to even more chaos in the plot. 

The main cast are joined by three women in the ensemble - Lucy Aiston, Iona Crompton and Meg Darcy, who all do a wonderful job bringing Becca Lamburn’s choreography to life as a range of characters including the Bells, rats, servants and even crabs! One of my favourite minor characters was the Health Inspector, a literal puppet being controlled by King Rat and his rat followers. There is also some fun puppet work when the characters go to Zingo-zabi-dazi-land and meet the Queen. The ensemble also plays a role in switching the set, designed by Victoria Spearing, around as needed, changing from the streets of London to an island without too much fuss.

The absolute highlight of Dick Whittington is James Lavender as King Rat, who steals the show as the classic pantomime villain. Lavender absolutely thrived on the energy of the children in the audience booing at him, encouraging it by waving his hands and grinning. It is also a delight to see King Rat constantly breaking the fourth wall, with one memorable moment being when he calls out Dick Whittington for singing so much. Even when disguised as the captain of a ship, King Rat continues to break the fourth wall and acknowledge the booing audience, telling the others on the ship that the noise was simply “the famous ‘Booing Wind.’”

As this is a pantomime, the plot is simple enough for young children to follow, giving them the chance to shout out the classic bits like “Oh yes it is!” And “He’s behind you!” There was one particularly hilarious moment where someone called Dick Whittington stupid and the children around me began freaking out over someone being called the “s-word.” And don’t worry, adults - there are plenty of jokes for you in this show as well. Some of my favourites included terrible puns about undertakers and morticians, as well as one in which Dick Whittington and Dick Turpin bond over having the same name. 

Of course, there are the classic pop culture references found in many pantomimes. The songs, directed by Bobby Goulder, are all parodies of songs ranging from Disney songs like “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” to more classic rock like Meatloaf’s “Bat Out of Hell.” While trapped on the Island of Zingo-zabi-dazi-land, Sarah the Cook has a moment with a volleyball, referencing Wilson from Castaway. There is also a reference to the group running into some celebrities on the island, an I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here reference. Both of these were only appreciated by the adults in the audience, though I did hear a child in front of me whispering about how their mum watches “that celebrity show.” 

Unfortunately, while the first act is fun and the cast is great, the show starts to drag in the second act, with quite a few scenes in which gags go on for longer than needed. While I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah the Cook as an unhinged Mrs. Lovett singing “By the Sea” from Sweeney Todd, it was clear the children around me were getting bored, wanting to hear more jokes and pop songs. There were also a few small technical errors in which it became difficult to hear the dialogue and singing over recorded music and sound effects. 

But luckily, when the dialogue sometimes drags on for too long, the music is there to bring back the energy of the show. Music Director Bobby Goulder has done a fantastic job in bringing music into the folk tale of Dick Whittington. Whenever Tammy the Cat has an emotional moment, the melody of “Memory” from Cats begins to play, often with Greenway mimicking playing a violin. Another great moment using music is when Dick and Alice and trying to tell the truth to one another, but as one person confesses, the other sings “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer, too in love to properly listen. 

Ultimately, Dick Whittington is a fun pantomime with funny jokes for everyone in the family, but goes on for a bit too long, leading to restlessness for children and adults alike. The cast is incredibly talented and give their all to bring joy to Hounslow during the Christmas season. All in all, it fits in with the classic pantomimes of the Christmas season - fun, silly, but nothing too meaningful or memorable. 

Dick Whittington runs atThe Arts Centre Hounslow until 31 December.

To post a comment, you must register and login.