The Harrogate Theatre Young Reviewers Scheme 2016/17 Dick Whittington The selected review: Dick Wit -ington the Harrogate pantomime brings its usual seasonal cheer with extra relish This year s incarnation of the beloved Harrogate pantomime embraces puns, glitter and cheesy songs with reckless abandon, injecting the familiar tale of Dick Whittington with inescapable jollity. From the moment Christopher Chilton s cockney fairy skipped onto the stage, the audience knew they would be in for a night of infectious cheer. He is one of the most likeable characters, making clever use of Cockney rhyming slang to fit in with the London theme, and engaging with the audience in an easy, unforced way. Tim Stedman delights in his 17 th year as the classic fool. He may have been playing Idle Jack, but he was anything but lazy, injecting his scenes with an inexhaustible energy which is impossible not to share. Harriet Harper s professional debut as the hero Dick also stands out: she gazes into the distance heroically and is so impeccably earnest, it almost feels ironic. Of course, every panto needs a good villain, and Katie Dean s Queen of Rats is brilliantly condescending - even if she could be darker at times. Lots of laughs are also garnered by Howard Chadwick (Sarah the Cook), especially at the expense of an audience member, who has the misfortune of being singled out to excruciating levels, much to everyone else s glee. The show is crammed with jokes, so whilst a few fall flat, most of the time is spent laughing, even at the direst wordplay. Of course there is a sprinkling of more topical, self-aware jokes; the inevitable references to Bake-Off and Brexit are tied together nicely. The set sparkles even more than the performances, with each seamless change bringing more glitter than the last. I wonder how many people noticed the subtle allusion to the Two Ronnies Fork Handles sketch? David Bown (co-writer) and Phil Lowe (director and co-writer) have created another spectacular show, leaving the audience in an unbeatably good mood. In short, Harrogate s is a traditional pantomime and then some. Dick Whittington runs at Harrogate Theatre until Sunday 15 th January. Box office 01423 502116. By Harriet Blackman, The Grammar School at Leeds.
The rest of the Dick Whittington reviews. How Witty is Harrogate's Dick Whittington? Harrogate Theatre s side-splitting take on the classic Dick Whittington is truly a feel good, festive watch. Set in rat-infested London, the pantomime, whilst containing all classic features, manages to keep you on the edge of your seat eager to find out what happens despite already knowing the ending! Of course Tim Stedman aides this hilariously with his portrayal of Idle Jack, a role totally fitting to celebrate his seventeenth year in the company. His stupidity and naivety leaves the audiences in stitches, cracking relatable jokes about staring into darkness inside the Marks and Spencer s café something to which most of the audience can probably relate! As usual, the pantomime breaks boundaries. From a female actor (Harriet Harper) in her debut role as Dick Wittington, to a male, Cockney Fairy of Bow Bells (Christopher Chilton), the production never settles for mere expectation. Whilst keeping it modern (with songs like Sax changed to Queen of Rats ), the audience is also able to embrace the Christmas spirit with a hysterical rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas that sees Idle Jack being slapped in the face with multiple pies, most comically by Uncle Nick who momentarily stops playing the piano to pie Jack. The score is of huge credit to the pantomime, succeeding in playing fitting, relevant music to go alongside the constantly flawless dancers who never seem to miss a beat, and the all-singing main cast. As expected, audience participation plays a huge part in the performance, and the characters certainly don t shy away from making everyone feel involved. One audience member will be constantly spoken to by all the cast, especially Sarah the Cook (Howard Chadwick) who is seeking love be careful where you sit! David and Phil s seven-year partnership is showcased wonderfully through this unusual but undeniably mood-lifting interpretation of Dick Whittington. Missing it would only make you idle, and as you will learn: Don t be lazy, that s just crazy! Dick Whittington runs at Harrogate Theatre until the 15 th January 2017. By Millie Gibson, St Aidens
A World of 'Whit' Phil Lowe and David Bown return for a tenth year to bring us another family favourite for the festive period. The result; their glittering tribute to the well-loved story of Dick Whittington. The company bring to life the famous story as we are propelled from the quiets of Harrogate life to the excitement and fortunes to be found in London town, before departing on a wild and far-flung adventure on the high seas. A brilliant combination of traditional theatrical and pantomime techniques coupled with modern, innovative touches creates a performance perfect for a contemporary audience. Returning pantomime dame Howard Chadwick (Sarah the Cook) and Tim Stedman (Idle Jack) in his seventeenth year, bounce off each other fantastically in hilarious comedy sequences to leave the cheeks aching! The duos combination of word puns, topical references and slapstick creates humour to tickle every generation. Katy Dean graces the Harrogate stage again this year but from a new angle in her first nefarious role as the notorious 'baddie' Queen Rat. Her opposition comes in the form of Harriett Hare (Alice Fitzwarren) and Harriet Harper (Dick Whittington) both making their Harrogate Pantomime debut and Harper s first professional show! Highly imaginative set design transports us to shores anew; glitz and psychedelic colour only adds to the thrall of an evening of titillating wit. David Kar Hing Lee gives us energetic and entertaining dance sequences with outstanding execution from local junior performers. The festive period wouldn't be the same without pantomime, so brush off your audience participation skills and don't miss the opportunity to see this dazzling production. Dick Whittington is running at Harrogate Theatre with regular performances through until January 15 th 2017. For more details and to book tickets contact the Box Office on 01423 502116 or online at www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk By Caitlin Nix, Harrogate High School
Don't be lazy! Come to Harrogate Theatre. Unlike most pantomimes, Dick Whittington is not a fairy tale, and, is in fact based on a true event. Although the familiar story is based upon Dick Whittington and Tommy his cat, the star of the show had to be Idle Jack (played by Tim Stedman), who is the recurring actor at Harrogate Theatre for 17 years. His energy throughout the play was captivating and his adolescent humour made it a great performance for the entire family. The fact that Harrogate Theatre hosts a small stage, the use of the space available has to be commended; with artful choreography and clever scenery, the size of Harrogate Theatre did not impact upon the play one bit. Sadly, the tale of Dick Whittington somehow lost its meaning in the second half of the performance. The thought-provoking story in the first half lost sincerity by the appearance of giddy fairies and magic swords in the second half. This did prove somewhat anticlimactic, as the true story of Dick Whittington and Tommy the cat seemed to lose its integrity. Yet the mixture of slapstick and innuendo kept everyone entertained throughout the performance, with the overall defeat of Queen Rat amusing the audience and allowing the triumph of good over evil. The devilish Queen Rat carried the play with her stunning voice, amazing outfits and brilliant acting, making her the clichéd yet hysterical villain that the plot requires. Howard Chadwick as Sarah the Cook dominated the scenes, his witty humour gained the most laughs alongside Idle Jack. They engage the audience superbly, whether it is in songs, chants or applause. Overall, the performance of Dick Whittington is a brilliant family spectacle. The audience left with the same smiles plastered to their faces. After all, it's the whole experience which Harrogate Theatre provides, involving juvenile mockery with morals of love and doing good, that makes it so impressive. Dick Whittington runs at Harrogate Theatre until 15th January 2017. By Rebecca Redmayne, Ashville College
Whittington s Back! The Harrogate pantomime is back and, in many ways, comfortingly similar to its yearly iteration. Tim Stedman continues to charm us as the resident buffoon, Idle Jack, and Howard Chadwick presents a delectable treat as Sarah the Cook. Many of the jokes are familiar but Phil Lowe and David Bown s script is charmingly self-aware, adding even more humour. The audience are delighted by the references to Harrogate s Pantomime traditions and there s a familiar and intimate atmosphere. Harriett Hare (as Alice Fitzwarren) and Harriet Harper (as Dick Whittington) are both charming additions to the company. They are both sweet and likable in their roles but the challenge of not appearing boring when acting against Stedman and Chadwick proves too much for them at times. Katy Dean also does something she was new to; playing the baddie! As Queen Rat, she didn t quite master the difficult balance of being likably dislikable as is required of a pantomime baddie, and sometimes feels lacking in energy. However, her musical numbers are very engaging and that really helps her character. Christopher Chilton is good in the role of Fairy Bow Bells but is overshadowed by himself as the King of the Fairies. His surreal and strung-out disco king is a huge highlight of the entire show. The show is more ambitious than ever and that pays off. The jokes are often delightfully flat, with many of them difficult to pull off, but pulled off perfectly. The local references are exciting, the sets are beautiful, the scenes visually delightful and the troll just as wretched looking as ever. Its delightful family atmosphere is shown through the referring of company members as Uncle and Aunt which adds to the intimate atmosphere. The entire cast is excellent at speaking to the audience and making them feel a part of it. Foxtons set design creates a panto-london in the centre of Harrogate and perfectly mixes the traditional with the new. By Sumiah Elbortoukaly, Harrogate Ladies College
To Harrogate where the streets are paved with gold 116 years later, Dick Whittington is back! Being the first pantomime ever showcased at Harrogate Theatre in 1900, Phil Lowe (in his tenth year as Director) had to live up to the legacy. Clearly the hard work has payed off; creating a mesmerising and lighthearted performance all round. Once again, Harrogate Theatre welcomes its old talent, the unmissable Tim Stedman returns for his seventeenth panto. Playing the mischievous yet adorable Idle Jack, Tim is able to add personal flair to his performance. Forever cracking those awful jokes but piling on the charm, combined with masterful characterisation, he certainly cannot be missed this festive season. His mother, Sarah the Cook (Howard Chadwick), allows the duo to create a Chuckle Brother s effect, leaving the audience in hysterics. Katy Dean returns once again, but this time as the villain, Queen Rat, launching her successful transition with snappy numbers such as Crazy In Love. While some may consider it an ambitious move, putting a new face in the lead role showcased Harriet Harper s energy and dedication to Dick Whittington in this, her professional debut. Another new face was the one behind the role of Alice Fitzwarren (Harriet Hare), the lovable, dauntless, sweet heroine of the story. What makes Harrogate s pantomime so individual however, is the free reign each actor has to ad lib and insert their own jokes. It's also topical: Bake Off, Brexit, it s all in there! Visuals certainly cannot be overshadowed; the slick stage transitions making never a dull moment, with its vibrant colours (featuring lots of glitter!) adding to the magic of the performance. Punchy soundtrack, along with the well crafted cast, this years pantomime is definitely not one to miss. Dick Whittington is on at Harrogate Theatre from 30 th November 2016 until 15 th January 2017. By Rebecca Morgan, Harrogate Grammar School