Dick Whittington is a golden panto – review of Theatre Royal Windsor’s festive show

Dick Whittington is the pantomime at Theatre Royal Windsor this year, gold plated laughs are guaranteed thanks to a star-studded cast.

The story is well-known: Dick heads to London to find his fame and fortune, accompanied by his cat. He meets Alice Fitzwarren, daughter of the Alderman, and falls in love. But his dreams of a fine romance are led astray thanks to the vile rats who frame him for a crime.

One trip around the globe later and they all live happily ever after.

Heading up the cast are the triumvirate of Basil Brush, Kevin Cruise and Steven Blakeley.

The familiar faces have been appearing in the Windsor pantomimes for over a decade and have created such strong camaraderie that their routines have become the stuff of legend.

Kevin – aka Martin Cabble-Reid – plays Idle Jack purely for laughs, and he is so good at it he just has to stand there and audiences are in stitches. As ever, he has a disco medley which gets the audiences on their feet … and covered in snow.

Steven plays Sarah the Cook. He’s been the show’s dame since 2010, when he stepped into Michael Sharvell-Martin’s shoes. Scriptwriter as well as comic foil, he is able to create a story that works for every cast member while packing in the plot, the laughs, the set pieces and the songs to create a show that is both original and traditional.

His grand entrance is an example of his creativity: modern technology means we can eavesdrop on his phone calls, while his arrival fuses some of the oldest theatrical tricks in the book. A joy to watch.

Basil is Basil. A showbiz legend since the 1960s, every generation has grown up with the fox and his appeal transcends the ages. His Boom Boom catchphrase is present and correct, his wit is sharp as ever and his sense of fun is palpable. Truly a great.

Special guests this year are Hilary O’Neil who is Fairy Bowbells. The yin to her yang is New Seeker Lyn Paul. They play so well against each other, with Hilary showing why she is one of the sharpest impressionists and comedians in the business, while Lyn relishes her role as the baddie, Queen Rat.

Lyn was Dick Whittington in a 2001 production at Windsor, while Basil and Hilary performed together in another Dick Whittington – the 2012 show in Plymouth. However, every panto is completely different and this isn’t a case of treading over old ground.

Read more: Who is joining Basil Brush in Theatre Royal Windsor’s pantomime Dick Whittington?

Playing Dick Whittington is Mikko Juan. Constantly smiling, the US-born actor has great stage presence, and creates a believable hero.

He is aided by Rina Punwani as his cat Talullah. Given a sparse costume and no dialogue other than meows, her mannerisms and gestures help audiences believe she is four-legged feline.

Dick’s love interest Alice is played by Mia Welsh, returning to Windsor. Her smile and voice light up the stage.

Completing the line-up are the talented dancers, Isabella Everett, Elliot Owen-Cowles, Andrew Dillon, Brogan McFarlane, James Smalley, and Kayleigh Cooper. The six must be exhausted at the end of each show as they are in virtually every scene playing a multitude of roles, fleshing out the world and showing us their amazing routines.

The show goes at a very fast pace, sometimes it feels a bit too fast – the denouement to the messy slosh scene just happens, rather than enjoyed a frenzied build up, while the 12 Days of Christmas doesn’t feel tightly choreographed, instead it is chaos. If it is planned chaos, it is hugely impressive.

But that is a quibble. This is a strong show, with terrific performances from every cast member.

The audience have a whale of time throughout the show, joining in with all the behind yous, oh no it isn’t, and similar call outs.

Kevin Cruise once again shows his star power in his solo moments, interacting joyfully with the theatre and getting every laugh possible. He is a Windsor favourite for a reason.

There is a moment when Dick is floating through the theatre on a giant turtle and it will genuinely make you gasp. A real jaw-dropping moment that will make you wonder how it was done.

And there is more than just the show: the sets are amazing, and beautifully lit. The sound in the auditorium is well balanced, and the front of house staff are on hand to make the night memorable.

All in all, you’ll come away left wanting more. And that’s the perfect blend.

Dick Whittington at Theatre Royal Windsor is packed with lots of fun and laughter for everyone, with songs sung to perfection, plenty of belly laughs and lots of festive spirit.

It will warm the hearts of everyone this Christmas … turn again to Windsor, this is panto gold.

Dick Whittington
Theatre Royal Windsor
Until Sunday, January 12
Tickets cost from £18.50, performance times vary
Box office: 01753 853888
https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/dick-whittington-24/