Dick Whittington at Lichfield Garrick

Pantomime is all about fun and laughter and this year’s Christmas panto at Lichfield Garrick did not disappoint! Dick Whittington had singing, dancing, jokes, 3D effects, indoor fireworks, a flying fairy, a giant octopus and a rocking stage (literally!). From the very start the audience was drawn into the show. There was poor Gary on the front row who endured the flirtations of the pantomime Dame and requests for us all to think of a name for Dick’s ‘jazz-socked’ pussycat. Audience participation was a requirement.

The actors on stage really did seem to be enjoying themselves. Their personalities shone through as they interacted with the audience to get us shouting out, singing, dancing and looking for a sneaky gorilla. From the endearing Fairy Bowbells who liked to be greeted with a cheer as she arrived in a puff of smoke, to the wicked Queen Rat bringing customary panto booing. The characters were fabulous! 

My family all strongly agreed on our favourite character - Dolly the Cook. As the pantomime dame, her outrageous costumes and wigs were a sight to behold! Her cupcake costume made us laugh but her outfit incorporating two sharks and a lifebelt was impressive. The bikini clad fat suit will keep me awake at night for weeks to come. How actor, Sam Rabone, managed all the speedy wardrobe changes, I’m really not sure! 

The galley scene was my hubby’s favourite. His sides were aching because he laughed so hard. It doesn’t take much to imagine the chaos that is caused by combining a rocking ship’s galley and custard pie mixtures. Suffice to say, Dolly the cook and her son Billy were a lot messier by the end of it. However, it is difficult to say who was rolling around the most: the actors on stage or the laughing audience. It was panto slap stick at its best.

By the end of the show, we were on our feet dancing and singing. We weren’t quite ready for the show to end! One of the nice things about seeing panto at a smaller theatre was opportunities for audience interaction. At the end, the actors invited some children up onto the stage and there were some call outs to members of the audience celebrating a special event or birthday. I recommend giving the theatre a call in advance if you are attending for a special event and want a mention.

Panto is one of my family’s Christmas traditions (we have quite a few!) and is great family fun. The thing that I particularly liked about the Garrick’s show is that it wasn’t smutty or crude. Yes, there were some cheeky bits but nothing that made me blush. Lichfield Garrick clearly know what makes their audience laugh and what keeps families coming back year after year.

Dick Whittington runs until 5^thJanuary 2019 and tickets are available online https://www.lichfieldgarrick.com/whats-on/all-shows/dick-whittington/130

Thank you Lichfield Garrick for inviting us along to see the show. We are already looking forward to Cinderella next Christmas!

 All photos credited to Pamela Raith Photography