Review: DICK WHITTINGTON, Lighthouse Poole
Photo credit: Jayne Jackson Photography
The excellent programme for Dick Whittington has plenty of fascinating insight into the process to create a “Made by Lighthouse Poole” pantomime and Chris Jarvis who wrote the script, directs and stars as Dame Dolly Doughnuts brings his thirty consecutive years of experience to that process. He describes “story-led comedy inspired by the Carry On films and Croft and Perry sitcoms” and you can see that on stage with an Ensemble cast integrating the routines and jokes into the storytelling. The localisation is outstanding too. Although Dick must travel to London for the story, they bring it home in the second act set in Poole and the Isle of Wight and include a very clever monologue featuring twenty-six local towns and villages in outrageous puns such as ending a phone call by putting the “Fern Down”. Even if you don’t know all the places, you simply have to admire the writing and delivery.
The writing extends to integrating two traditional pieces of pantomime business, the ‘Pun Run’ and the ‘12 Days’ song into the story rather than simply shoehorning in some older proven version of the routine. It creates a freshness and spontaneity that is simply a joy to watch. Here, the pun run is based around the chocolate bars on sale in the Alderman Fitzwarren Emporium (ALDE for short), a sweet shop, and the ‘12 Days’ around the sights and sounds of London. Key to both is the timing and discipline in the delivery, leaving time for the joke to sink in but maintaining the pace throughout. Both are done extremely well. The seamless inclusion of a National Express coach promotion of journeys between Poole and London sits neatly in the storytelling too. We, of course, get the obligatory references to 6-7 and Jet2 Holidays reminding us again of the power and influence of social media on young people!
The traditional story is well known with the young Dick arriving to seek work in London, being wrongly accused of stealing from the shop, and then hearing Bow Bells told turn again to become Lord Mayor of London. In this version, the Alderman can decide who to make Lord Mayor and King Rat is trying to secure the role. In the true spirit of those Croft and Perry scripts, the cast share the limelight, and each have their moment, although Sarah-Louise Young is outstanding as King Rat with a delightful characterisation and turned up nose, strong vocals and charming interaction with the three cute ratlings. Equally Fairy Bowbelles, Bernedette Bangura, is very strong with excellent vocals and delightful stage presence. Indeed, Alice (Isabella Kibble) and Dick (Kieran Morris) also work well together and sing well. The music includes ‘I’m So Excited’, ‘Let Me Entertain You’, ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’, ‘Sweet Dreams’ and ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, which are all instantly recognisable end enjoyable.
Of course, no Dick Whittington would be complete without his cat and Corben Heward-Mills is outstanding as Tommy, a highly gymnastic and agile creature who communicates through movement and lip sync music clips. He wins over the audience from his first appearance to the Pink Panther theme tune through to the finale when he asks for some lines next year! It is another example of the innovation and fresh thinking of Jarvis’s production. Not all of it works perfectly, a huge Saucy Sal rocking ship for the journey to the Isle of Wight dominates the stage and the scene in the storm making doughnuts in the galley is very ambitious and no doubt quite risky with a sliding table. The ideas are there with a Captain being swept overboard by the winds on deck above as water is sprayed into the galley but somehow, the moments don’t land as we are sure they planned them. But you can’t fault the idea or the endeavour.
We can see that this is Chris Jarvis’s brainchild, but he is a generous performer and never hogs the stage in a joke filled show. Occasionally we don’t have time to let the gag sink in as they rush onto the next action, and the pace never lets up. The Dream sequence at the end of Act 1 is perhaps the highlight of the show, bringing again a fresh feel to the traditional moment with a clever transformation moment (every panto should have one) and a sensational entrance and costume for the Dame, which shows Jarvis and his team really did let their imagination go wild.
Other producers could learn from the “Made in Poole” team in creating such high-quality productions on a limited budget . There is a real sense of joy and collaboration, a team doing their very best and willing to take risks to please their local audiences. It looks good, sounds great and is just as pantomime should be, fun for all the family.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Nick Wayne
Dick Whittington plays at Lighthouse Poole until 4 Jan, with further info here.