Review of Dick Whittington pantomime at The Bristol Hippodrome
Posted on: 2014-12-11
Our rating:
If you aren?t already feeling the Christmas spirit, 2 hours of this will positively drown you in it... in my opinion, a seasonal must-see for all the family.
For a story that stretches back as far as the early 1600s, this glamorous, cheeky, flamboyant rendition successfully brings it bang up to date – a tale of rags to riches for all ages.
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Arriving at the Hippodrome with a family group consisting of two hardened veterans of the pantomime, one excitable 13 year old, and a whimpering, noise-shy 2 year old who has never experienced anything like it before; I was interested to see what kind of varied reactions this production would achieve. Ten minutes in, however, and each face was lit up with the kind of awe-inspired smile one expects but doesn’t always get when watching these festive pantomimes.
Bristol pantomime always offers a cast of immediate relevance, unlike some who seemingly exclusively employ ‘that bloke your nan likes from that thing’. No, this year the lively crowd were treated to Ashleigh and Pudsey – the Britain’s Got Talent favourites who stormed to success with their one-woman-one-dog dance act, CBeebies’ ever popular Ben Faulks (Mr Bloom), and a cast of other exceptional performers and recognisable faces. Andy Ford returned, of course, for another hilarious year. His act never grows old and seemed to delight everyone in the theatre despite, in his own words, playing “the same character with different tights”.
The traditional story of Dick Whittington is given a surprisingly indulgent make-over by the incredible team on set and costume design. A review has a word count unfortunately but if I could I would congratulate each member of the team individually for their clearly above-average creative vision. For me this was possibly the most exciting bit of the night, seeing the detail and creativity expended not only on the costumes of the main characters, but of the dancers as well. The rats had a particularly inventive outfit and their leader the Rat Queen displays one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen, let alone in panto. Of course, the Dame’s costumes are all hilarious and clever – this year as Sarah the Cook there was an array of outrageous food-based clothing that was really just the icing on the cake (sorry). Alongside this, there were intricate multi-layered sets that would please and inspire anyone interested in the aesthetics of even serious theatre. Gorgeous, rich and unfailingly Christmassy, the design element of the Bristol panto this year is unrivalled.
Pudsey didn’t let himself down once, performing the adorable but undoubtedly clever act that won Britain’s Got Talent with his trainer and dance partner Ashleigh. Ashleigh’s performance as Alice Fitzwarren was believable and sweet, and her love-interest Dick Whittington was charmingly played by Ben Faulks. Their duet of The Calling’s Wherever You Will Go was pleasantly done and both actors possess strong voices. Special mention also needs to be given to the beautiful Queen Rat aka Lara Denning, who has a stunning voice and after calling the audience ‘chavs’ she successfully became the stereotypical baddie we all love to hate.
The hilarity of the performance was so much that leaving Andy Ford (Idle Jack) and Eric Potts (Sarah the Cook) on stage alone led to a complete breakdown of the script for a moment as the two of them tried to reign in their uncontrollable laughter. Several attempts in and Potts’ comic despairing outburst of “what a ridiculous way to earn a living” set the audience in hysterics also. Far from distracting those watching, this hilarious breaking of the fourth wall was endearing and exceptionally well handled by two clearly competent comics. Some jokes may have been wasted on the younger viewers, but it certainly made it all the more bearable for the stony-faced cynics there merely to escort their children. As I looked around the audience toward the end of the show, not one person didn’t have a smile on their face, which I believe does justice to the incredibly magical experience of the Bristol pantomime.
The musicians did a fine job, crafting an elaborate score around some well-known hits. The aforementioned Wherever You Will Go featured, as well as Pharell Williams’ Happy and the Pet Shop Boys’ Go West along with some Bollywood dancing and beautifully choreographed fight scenes. This got the audience engaged in clapping, singing, dancing and cheering at almost every moment of the panto, which is a veritable achievement and something that, as an audience member, gives you an extremely memorable night.
As last year, there was an incredibly innovative 3D film part way through act 2, in which a Finding Nemo-esque underwater chase takes place as you are guided through the sea by Terry the burping turtle. Giving no more away than that, the team on special effects have undoubtedly surpassed themselves this year.
So if you are wondering how on earth Bollywood dancing, a burping turtle and a dancing dog could possibly fit in to Dick Whittington, I urge you to come and see it performed. The acting is engaging and hilarious, the jokes cater to all ages, the music is current and well-executed, and the set design is out of this world. If you aren’t already feeling the Christmas spirit, 2 hours of this will positively drown you in it... in my opinion, a seasonal must-see for all the family.
Reviewed by Miri Teixeira for 365Bristol
Article by:
Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
