Show: Dick Whittington
Society: Wight Strollers, The
Venue: Medina Theatre. Fairlee Road, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 2EW
Credits: By Emily and Sarah Scotcher
Type: Sardines
Author: Cheryl May
Performance Date: 26/02/2022
Dick Whittington
Cheryl May | 06 Mar 2022 20:17pm
All photos: Fiona Bannister
A five star pantomime success for Wight Strollers
After a two year break due to Covid, the Medina Theatre played host to the Wight Strollers latest pantomime, Dick Whittington. With the auditorium resounding to the hub of excitement from the groups of Brownies, Scouts and families making up the capacity matinee audience, it’s good to be back.
Dick Whittington is the classic rags to riches adventure whereby Dick goes to London to seek his fortune and ends up as Lord Mayor of London. As with any well-loved pantomime title, I’m always intrigued to see how drama groups retell a traditional story. In this instance, as well as different names for a couple of characters, Dame Polly Pudding and Smudge the cat, the ship was renamed The Windy Passage, much to the amusement of those of us who love silly schoolboy humour.
Laughter is always high on the agenda, and Wight Stroller audiences, used to Director Sarah Scotcher’s sense of fun and mischievousness, are never disappointed. There’s the usual innuendo that sails over the children’s’ heads but elicits plenty of chuckles from the adults and visual gags a-plenty. An up-to-the-minute visual gag with Smudge the cat sitting atop a circular piece of wood with wheels on – lovely facial reactions from Izzi Rudge. Once this is given a hefty push, a couple of sailors use their mops to ‘curl’ as per the England ladies curling team. The Bow Bell ringers and the sailors in the barrels routines both worked well.
With a cast of fifty-four, including the cutest four and five year old ‘drunken sailors’ you’re ever likely to see on a stage, everyone gives one hundred percent energy and commitment to this production.
Michael Mullin’s boo worthy King Rat delivers all the menace one expects from a baddie. Fairy Bowbells, Director Sarah Scotcher, brings her sense of fun to the part and is the perfect foil for King Rat, as well as ensuring the flow of the story
John Woodford is the consummate dame and is on excellent form as Polly Pudding, whose recipes sound stomach churning and elicit plenty of ‘yuks’ from the audience. I’ve seen John is some wonderfully wacky costumes over the years, but I have to admit, I love the pudding bowl dress.
There is good chemistry between principal boy and girl, Emily Scotcher as Alice Fitzwarren and Ches Checkley-Hill playing Dick Whittington, both giving confident and accomplished performances. Dick and Alice’s duet, ‘I Just Haven’t Met You Yet’ hits all the right notes. Izzi Rudge steals the show as Smudge the cat, captivating the audience with plenty of graceful cat-like actions.
Another pantomime regular, Patrick Barry, gives two regal performances, firstly as King Neptune and later in the show as the Emperor of Morocco. Elisa Jones is on top form as his wife, the Sultana of Morocco. Other supporting and cameo characters are superbly played and compliment the production.
The small but effective band with Musical Director Kim Ball on keyboard, Luke Mulhern on keys/guitar and Jamie Woodford on drums ensure a well-fitting and varied music score. They even join in the fun by wearing headwear to match each scene.
Song and dance numbers are well co-ordinated and choreographed by Cheryl and Izzi Rudd. Wight Stroller song and dance numbers are consistently of high quality and do justice to the wonderful costumes.
Head of costume, Gerry Tulloch, and her team are to be congratulated on the colourful costumes, from the underwater blues to the fiery warm red and orange of Morocco. The Morocco scene with thirty of the cast dressed in stripey tunics and fez will remain with me. This production also produced the most glamorous rats that I’ve seen in a panto, or anywhere… The makeup looked amazing as well.
This was a technically accomplished production, sound and lighting enhancing the overall settings to give a sense of place. The loud drip drip dripping definitive of the sewer scene. The Aldi supermarket logo depicting Aldi Man stores was inspired. The set looked good with the use of cloths and ship’s wheel to define a sense of place. The underwater scene enchanted younger members of the audience.
Congratulations to all involved with this production.
Wight Stroller founder members Sarah Scotcher and Gerrie Tulloch are taking a step back from the society and won’t be at the helm next year. They will be sadly missed and there are huge shoes to fill – however with continually top-quality performances and commitment from this talented group the society will go from strength to strength.
On a final note, during the finale I saw panto dame, John Woodford and Director/Fairy Sarah Scotcher look at each other and smile the ‘it’s good to be back’ smile that I daresay was echoed in theatres across the country.
It’s good to have you back…