Dick Whittington and his Cat

From the moment learner-fairy Bauble (Rebecca Craven) invites us to help her, there is no rest for the eager audience at the Lyric Hammersmith’s splendid panto. We shout, we sing, we clap, we dance, we solve the election conundrum, we match-make - rarely has audience participation been invited so much, so often. HE’S BEHIND YOU! … and still they don’t listen.  It’s almost as if they were playing with us. 

Each character talks to the audience, including us in the joke that that this is a theatre production, but that never stops us from caring about their ordeals. They’re not afraid to get every innuendo out of the hero’s name and there is plenty here to please adults and children alike. It was heart-warming to see the age range the Lyric can attract: from tots to grandparents – even some teenagers giving it large!

The opening light show starts to build excitement from the off, featuring lively work from the excellent band under  Corin Buckeridge – a small group but they deliver plenty! Interesting oriental music for the trip to the North Pole.

Cynical Fairy Keith (Nigel Betts) is a great foil to the engaging Fairy Bauble. Their storyline adds complexity to the show and gives us another hero to cheer for. They play the comedy knowingly and to great effect.

Andy Rush as Dick is a lovable mix of hopeless and indefatigable. He might not know how he gets there, but you know he will succeed in the end. What a surprise from his singing voice: bass-baritone is not what I expected. Some promising clowning skills on show.

Aretha Ayeh as Sooz triumphs in making her role as the wannabe Mayor of London warm and funny, she is possibly the one who sees the biggest change in her storyline though the show. Their hamfisted love affair is a comedy highlight.

The slapstick routine has promise and will improve with practice. Stewart Wright does not quite pull off the role of Baps the Dame. It’s a challenge when your Dame can’t sing. His call & response never really registers  - maybe it’s too long: Bend down, let me see you shake your tail-feather. 

Tiffany Graves enflames the crowd with her sultry, menacing Queen Rat, even encouraging us to boo over her feature song.  She is happy to sacrifice her spotlight moment in order to fulfil her task as chief villain. 

As Cat, Delroy Atkinson hits a brilliant mix of cool yet vulnerable. Lots of excellent moves with feline attitude.

The ensemble keep coming and keep giving! Their finest moment comes when dustbins of London replace the Bells to persuade Dick to turn again. Great fun and to see them well used throughout.

The set does everything you need – from simple drops to full bakery to the North Pole and an igloo. There is even a flying table to wonder at: it’s remarkable what make-do-and-mend fairy dust can do. Elegant staging keeps everyone moving through the changes. Wacky costumes do just the thing for panto.

Dan Herd has directed the show with pace and an unashamed love of the panto vibe. Lainie Baird offers choreography that suits the scenes, fills the stage yet is never without purpose. 

Who would have thought Dick would come from Hull to Hammersmith via the North Pole? Or that rats and yetis could hit it off? But the title curtain warns us that this is the bizarre journey to expect in a witty action packed script by Tom Wells. A proper traditional panto:  cheering and booing and singalong to everyone’s delight and crafted to give the small cast lots to do throughout.

This is a show that is proud to be in the borough. We have a blossoming, rejuvenating theatre to revel in. Come and see it if you live locally, it’s well worth the trip. Come here from all over Britain (even Hull) and feel the love in Hammersmith!