The January blues are upon us. When choosing the first production of 2018 to see, everyone should think about something cheerful and blissful that will shake off the disappointment of facing reality after the festive season.DICK WHITTINGTON at The Palladium is just what everyone needs this winter - it’s full of laughter and saucy jokes that will amuse the adults without the children noticing, and consists of just the right amount of singing, dancing and silliness for the kids.
Young and charming Dick Whittington (Charlie Stemp) arrives in London from Gloucester in search of love, fortune and adventure. His expectations about the capital are quickly crushed - the place is swamped with rats, ruled by The Queen Rat (the diva that is Elaine Page). Luckily for Dick, Spirit of the Bells (the fantastic Julian Clary) and Sarah the Cook (the multitalented Gary Wilmot) are there to help him on his quest to clear London from the infestation, marry Alice Fitzwarren (rising musical theatre star Emma Williams) and become the Mayor of London.
Produced and directed by Michael Harrison, who could easily be branded as The King of Panto, DICK WHITTINGTON is a spectacular and diverse production. Harrison’s strength lies in ensuring that DICK WHITTINGTON has not only plenty of entertainment to offer, but also that its purpose is to connect with a modern audience. I often find myself slightly disconnected from panto productions and watch them as if watching a cultural sensation that is deeply rooted to tradition and British culture. Yet in DICK WHITTINGTON I was constantly entertained, whether it was by the superb contemporary dance group Diversity, Clary’s dry humour or the ventriloquist Paul Zeldin.
Beautiful and sparkly costumes, an enormous mechanical rat and a flying London bus are just a few of the DICK WHITTINGTON elements, which make it a magical production. Perhaps the only criticism is that despite the production accommodating for different age groups and entertainment needs, it is still quite a pricy experience that not many can afford.
Much has been written in recent decades about the possible relationship permutations which existed between Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) and his muse, the 6-year old Alice Liddell, who was the basis for his Alice in Wonderland stories.