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Mayflower, Southampton – until 2 January 2022

Reviewed by Emma Barnes

5*****

Director Thom Southerland’s first pantomime, brought to Southampton by Crossroads Live was a massive success with every member of our family.  There is nothing like a dose of familiar tunes, lashings of comedy, a few pinches of magic and a Fairy Godmother to get the festive season started. 

Craig Revel Horwood returns to the Mayflower Theatre as the Wicked Stepmother, Debbie McGee as the Fairy Godmother. Richard Cadell is a superb Buttons with help from Sooty and his water pistol to cause all sorts of hilarity on stage. 

Special mention must also go to Will Richardson as Prince Charming and Georgia Carr as Cinderella who gave fantastic vocal performances. 

It is clear to see why this production is so popular. True to the traditional boy meets girl plot, we join Cinderella in her journey from rags to riches, thwarting the ugly sisters and winning her dashing Prince Charming. There is the glamour, glitter and of course dancing at the ball,  the search for the owner of the slipper and the inevitable happily ever after ending.   

Craig Revel Horwood is the dastardly and villainous Step Mother and pulls off the role to perfection without scaring the younger members of the audience.  We loved the increasingly extravagant costumes,   amazing singing and the fab- u -lus dancing.  Debbie McGee is a magical and characterful Fairy Godmother ,   the odd glitch and word stumble left the cast and audience in stitches and were so well managed that we struggled to know whether it had been deliberate.   

The scene that had us howling with laughter was the ridiculously farcical slapstick routine in the woods, the timing and comedy effect of which was superbly executed.   Cinderella’s flying carriage took our breath away and impressive magic throughout added unexpected interest.   We also enjoyed the song parodies throughout. 

Cinderella was everything a pantomime should be and more.  The traditional panto aspects such as shouting “it’s behind you” , the innuendos, the gags, booing the baddies, magnificent costumes, spectacular visual effects, smoke and fireworks were all there. A family friendly panto that rekindled our love for live theatre and had every member of our family laughing from start to finish.

Six-week Southwark Playhouse extension from 14 January – 19 February 2022

“moving at breathless speed, the five performers take on a dazzling series of gender-switching roles… a Beyoncé-esque assertion of female power in the wartime…excellent performers… There are some big, blowsy shows around in the West End, but this little belter is staging its own audacious invasion plan” ★★★★★
Suzi Feay, Financial Times

“a miraculous musical that tells the entire story in a kind of accelerated farce that is part Mel Brooks, part SIX, part Hamilton with a side order of One Man, Two Guvnors.” ★★★★★

Neil Norman, Daily Mirror

“But whoof! It blew the roof clean off. Hoots and tears welcomed this ingenious, touching musical. Taut lyrics, vintage gags, a wild tale and tunes that followed me out into the night air, in hums and whistles. Perfection… An artisanal masterpiece” ★★★★★
Luke Jones, Daily Mail

“this is the musical you didn’t know you needed — until you see the expert cast of five embracing and racing through a clutch of preposterous yet endearing characters and musical styles, telling a story with delicious precision. Set firmly in the past, this is a little show with a very big future.”

David Benedict, Variety

London 15^th Dec 2021 –The Operation Mincemeat musical remains set to start its six-week extension at Southwark Playhouse on the 14^th January 2022 amidst Warner Bros. delaying their Operation Mincemeat film release starring Colin Firth from 7^th January to April 2022.

Tickets for the musical running from 14 January through to 19 February 2022 are on sale now here

The year is 1943 and we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse. 

Following sold-out runs at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019 and Southwark Playhouse in 2020 and September 2021, Operation Mincemeat is back. Having spent lockdown rewriting the show, weeping and eating biscuits, SpitLip have extended the run of this newer, bigger and (somehow) even better version.

Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Noel Coward meets Noel Fielding, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II. The question is, how did a well-dressed corpse wrong-foot Hitler? 

Operation Mincemeat won The Stage Debut award for Best Composer/Lyricist, the Off-West End award for Best Company Ensemble and was listed in the Observer’s Top 10 shows of the year.  

Commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, co-commissioned by The Lowry. Supported by the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Additional support from Avalon. 

Ticketholders will be required to wear a face mask in accordance with government guidelines.

Hull New Theatre – until 2nd January 2022

Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams

4****

After the times we have had I desperately wanted Snow White to be full of fun and laughter and all the traditional cheer that a Christmas panto provides and it delivered exactly that and more! For over two hours last night the packed Hull New Theatre forgot they were wearing masks, forgot about the last few months and their worries and laughed and cheered and loved the silliness and nonsense that is a good old-fashioned pantomime. Panto is always a joyous occasion and with all that we have been through recently Snow White gave us sparkle and joy in abundance.

You’ve got your masks on so you all need to cheer and boo louder than ever said Muddles (Neil Hurst) as Snow White began and the audience did just that, making enough noise to raise the roof. By its very nature panto is interactive, it thrives on audience participation and by heck did the audience participate! The theatre was buzzing from the start, whether it was booing Queen Lucretia (Poppy Tierney) or shouting at Muddles and his nonsense the audience were totally immersed. Towards the end when we were all up singing, I suspect the adults were having as much fun (if not more) than the children because let’s face it a good panto brings out the child in us all!

In a nutshell the story of Snow White involves an evil Queen who wants to be rid of the beautiful Snow White, some dwarfs she stays with and a prince who rescues her. In a panto of course the story often comes in second place and there are lots of additional scenes allowing for the comedy and silliness to occur.

Neil Hurst is a class act as Muddles, working the audience with consummate skill, the purveyor of some dreadful jokes and the glue that pulls the whole panto together. He clearly loves every minute of it as he bounces around the stage and his energy and joy is infectious.

Nigel Ellacott plays the dame Nurse Nigella with utter style and makes the perfect partner for Muddles, the two bouncing off one another with their nonsense and occasional corpsing. The adults in the audience were often ahead of the pair, anticipating with glee what was to come! Nurse Nigella’s costumes were unbelievable, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone wearing a Marmite jar before! Reading the programme, I discovered that Nigel designs and creates all his own costumes. Mention should also go to Nurse Nigella’s eyelashes, she fluttered them with style, but to see them so well from the middle of the stalls they must have been enormous.

Faye Brookes made for a sweet Princess Snow White, with just the right amount of sugar. She has a lovely singing voice.

For me Poppy Tierney was outstanding as Queen Lucretia, she was stunningly evil and had the most incredible singing voice. The lighting at times silhouetted her turning her green, making her appear even more evil.

Snow White does not have a huge cast and all of them worked so hard to ensure that the audience had the best of times. This is not a panto full of technical gadgetry but a deceptively simple production with glittering backdrops and lighting providing the magic. Music was provided by the Hull New Theatre Band (Jon Chamberlain, Lisa Featherston and Mark Knight) making enough noise to make you think the orchestra pit was full of musicians.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a very traditional panto, full of everything you would want – audience participation, bad jokes, the jokes that go over the children’s heads, music, dance, a happy ending but most of all laughter and happiness.

Watching the children’s awe and wonder, their glee as they screamed at the Queen is wonderful in itself. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a full-on traditional family pantomime providing the perfect escape from these times.

Oh, and I swear you could see the smiles on people’s faces through their masks as they left the theatre last night. Thank you, you lifted us all up.

Original Theatre Online presents  

Marcus Brigstocke’s bittersweet drama of family and addiction 

The Red 

Starring Bruce Alexander and Sam Alexander 

Film Direction by Charlotte Peters 

Online from 24 February until 24 May 2022   

Original Theatre Online presents Marcus Brigstocke’s bittersweet drama, The Red, online from 24 February until 24 May 2022 (https://originaltheatreonline.com/productions/34/the-red-by-marcus-brigstocke).    

Originally commissioned for BBC Radio 4 and winner of the BBC Audio Drama Award 2018 for Best Single Drama, Marcus Brigstocke’s compelling drama of family and addiction is based on his own recovery. The 2019 stage production had acclaimed runs at Omnibus Theatre and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

Benedict’s dad loved wine. He loved collecting it, drinking it and found sharing it with friends and family was an act of love.  

Benedict was a teenage alcoholic. He’s been sober now for 25 years.
On the day of his father’s funeral, Benedict receives an unsettling final bequest: a bottle of exceptionally fine red wine. Will he drink one final toast to his father?

The Red stars father and son Bruce Alexander (A Touch of Frost) and Sam Alexander (Royal Shakespeare Company). It is Written and Directed by Marcus Brigstocke, Directed for film by Charlotte Peters, Designed by Alex Marker and has Sound and Composition by Max Pappenheim. 

Marcus Brigstocke is best known for his stand-up comedy and as a regular performer and writer on BBC Radio 4 including The Now Show, I’ve Never Seen Star Wars, The Brig Report and Giles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes Off. He said: “The Red is a deeply personal piece of work for me. It is in large part my story. I am so proud that it has been such a success and hugely excited that it will be seen by more people now!  Sam and Bruce are just excellent in these roles and the fact that they are father and son brings a very special dimension to it all. I am thrilled that The Red is coming back.” 

Alastair Whatley, Artistic Director of Original Theatre Company, said: “I’m delighted to be working with Marcus on his superb play alongside the real-life father and son duo of Bruce and Sam Alexander. The Red deftly explores themes which will I suspect resonate widely and I look forward to sharing the production with our audiences around the world.” 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://originaltheatreonline.com/productions/34/the-red-by-marcus-brigstocke.    

See the booking page for trigger warnings (this does contain spoilers). Age guidance: 14+. Running time: 60 minutes. The production link includes a pre-recorded Q&A with Marcus Brigstocke. Subtitles are available. 

Super Early Bird Tickets – £12 (ends 23 Jan); Early Bird Tickets – £15 (ends 24 Feb); Standard – £20; Supporter – £40 (including a digital programme and credit on the film – ends 14 Feb); Premium – £100 (including a signed script, digital programme and credit on the film – ends 14 Feb). 

HAMPSTEAD THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL CAST & CREATIVE TEAM FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF FLORIAN ZELLER’S THE FOREST, TRANSLATED BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON, WITH DIRECTION BY JONATHAN KENT, FROM 5 FEBRUARY UNTIL 12 MARCH 2022

Hampstead Theatre is delighted to announce the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Florian Zeller’s new play, The Forest. Running from 5 February until 12 March 2022, The Forest is translated by Zeller’s long-time collaborator Christopher Hampton, and directed by Jonathan Kent, who re-unites with Zeller after his critically acclaimed production of The Height of the Storm.

Toby Stephens (Lost in Space, Netflix; Oslo, National Theatre, West End), Gina McKee (Bodyguard, BBC One; Di and Viv and Rose, Hampstead Theatre), Paul McGann (Withnail and I, HandMade Films, Doctor Who, BBC One) and Angel Coulby (Merlin, BBC One; Good People, Hampstead Theatre) are joined in the cast by Millie Brady (Roadkill, BBC One; The Queen’s Gambit, Netflix), Silas Carson (Phantom Thread, Universal Pictures; Drawing the Line, Hampstead Theatre), Finbar Lynch (Indecent, Menier Chocolate Factory; Girl From The North Country, West End), Sakuntala Ramanee (Romeo and Juliet, RSC; East Is East, Jamie Lloyd-UK tour) and Eddie Toll (Stephen, ITV; Ivan and the Dogs, Young Vic).

Director Jonathan Kent will be joined by designer, Anna Fleischle; lighting designer, Hugh Vanstone; sound designer, Isobel Waller-Bridge; casting director, Lotte Hines andassociate designer and costume co-designer, Jasmine Swan.

Jonathan Kent, director ofThe Forest, said:

“Zeller’s mysterious and fascinating new play is unlike anything he’s written before and, in fact, unlike anything I’ve ever directed.  It demands all the creative and inventive talents of the remarkable company of actors I’ve been lucky enough to assemble.”

***

“He can’t help himself and he plunges into the forest…until the moment it dawns on him: night has fallen and he is completely lost.”

At this turning-point of his life, Pierre finds himself tormented by the conflicting demands of family, career and sexual desire.  His struggle to resolve this crisis, without fracturing his marriage or compromising his moral code, is explored in unsettling ways.

I’m telling you a story, if that’s all right by you.Apparently, you’ve no objection to telling stories yourself.Am I right?

Florian Zeller’s play The Father (Wyndham’s) has the status of a modern classic and the screen adaptation won the 2021 Academy Award for Zeller and Christopher Hampton.  His recent plays in London include The Son (Duke of York’s), The Height of the Storm (Wyndham’s), The Mother (Kiln Theatre), The Truth (Wyndham’s) and The Lie (Menier Chocolate Factory).

Multiple-award winning playwright and screenwriter Christopher Hampton won an Academy Award for his screen adaptation of his play Les Liaisons Dangereuses (as Dangerous Liaisons).  He was also nominated for adapting Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement in 2007.  Hampton has previously adapted Zeller’s The Father, The Mother and The Truth.

Jonathan Kent returns to Hampstead Theatre, having previously directed Good People (2014) and The Slaves of Solitude (2017).  Kent’s recent credits include Talking Heads (BBC and Bridge Theatre), The Height of the Storm (Wyndham’s), A German Life (The Bridge), Long Day’s Journey into Night (Broadway) and Peter Gynt (National Theatre).

***

Hampstead Theatre is currently staging Alan Plater’s Peggy For You, directed by Richard Wilson and starring Tamsin Greig in the title role, until 29 January 2022.  Peggy For You is based on the life of Alan Plater’s former agent, the legendary Peggy Ramsay.  Greig is joined by Josh Finan, Trevor Fox, Danusia Samal and Jos Vantyler in this Olivier-nominated play (2001), which received its world premiere at Hampstead Theatre in 1999. 

The world premiere of Folk, Nell Leyshon’s beautifulplay with songs, will debut at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs from 18 December until 5 February 2022, with direction by Artistic Director Roxana Silbert.  Inspired by a true story and set in Leyshon’s home county of Somerset, Folk features Ben Allen, Sasha Frost, Mariam Haque and Simon Robson. 

Menier Chocolate Factory, London – until 27th February 

Reviewed by Alun Hood

4****

Sex and death: two of the primary motivators of human existence. Joe Orton understood this: his Loot and What The Butler Saw are loaded with them. He had been dead six years when Alan Bennett’s 1973 Habeas Corpus made it’s West End debut in a production starring Sir Alec Guinness, but there’s undeniably something Orton-esque in this farcical melange of lust, longing, humiliation, epigrammatic wit and occasionally breathtaking bad taste.

It seems dated now (something director Patrick Marber doesn’t try to cover up, with his use of 70s pop music, Vaudevillian clichés and Richard Hudson’s decidedly retro costumes) but the richness and subversive free form nature of the writing as it veers between verse, crudity and cruelty, then back again, mark it as a true original, and a forerunner of the Alternative Comedy that transformed the genre a decade later. The problematic yesteryear trope of an ageing GP desperate to get his end away with a nubile young patient has not worn well, nor is it funny in itself. What sets Habeas Corpus apart from, and lifts it above, the dodgy sitcoms and farces that it riffs upon, is the delightful rhythm and absurdity of Bennett’s language -still sparklingly fresh after all these years- and the dark undertow. Death is everywhere: in the doctor’s uncomfortable descriptions of decaying human flesh, in the frequent references to World War Two, in the running theme of a neglected patient constantly trying to commit suicide, and in the shiny black coffin that constitutes most of Hudson’s elegantly spare set (lit with painterly precision by Richard Howell).

The cast is brilliant, each of them cleverly negotiating the sometimes abrupt gear changes between saucy postcard-made-flesh comedy excesses and real humanity with a lot at stake. Jasper Britton is manically funny as the priapic Dr Wicksteed but is authentically chilling in the final moments where a lifetime of casual unkindness and sexual impropriety seems to be catching up with him, like a middle aged East Sussex Don Giovanni. Catherine Russell finds a sadness and desperation in his permanently disappointed wife that touchingly belies the shrill but often hilarious battle axe persona she initially presents. 

Similarly, Kirsty Besterman gives a poignant account of his perpetually single sister, forever fending off the advances of Matthew Cottle’s riotously named cleric Canon Throbbing (“together we will be at the forefront of Anglican sexuality!”) in favour of Dan Starkey’s enjoyably vicious senior medical specialist. Cottle even does a spot-on Bennett impersonation at one point. I also really loved Thomas Josling as the Wicksteed’s sweatily inept, perennially hypochondriac son, and Katie Bernstein as Felicity Rumpers, the stunning young woman who might deign to fall in love with him, but only if he really does have the terminal illness he thinks he’s got.

Ria Jones is a gorgeous comic gem as the all-seeing char lady Mrs Swabb, the only character who isn’t carnally obsessed (“I leave sex to the experts”) and Caroline Langrishe is great fun as Felicity’s British Colonial Grande Dame of a mother, forever bemoaning the loss of her privileged earlier life in Addis Ababa.

While one couldn’t make a convincing case for this being one of Bennett’s better plays (there’s very much a sense of hurling everything at the wall and seeing what sticks), it’s too bracingly original and too clear-eyed in the way it depicts the twin grips lust and mortality have on individual’s lives, to be written off merely as a period piece. It’s often laugh-out-loud funny and Marber’s fine production and terrific cast polish it up to an irresistible comic sheen. It’s naughty and not always nice: I think Joe Orton would have approved.

Aria Entertainment, Metta Theatre and Edward Prophet, the producers of new British musical The Rhythmics, are saddened to announce that they have found it necessary to cancel the remainder of the current run at the Southwark Playhouse, after disruption caused by ongoing illness and Covid-19 related absences in the company, a delay of two press night performances, along with the ongoing uncertainty in the wake of recent Government announcements, leaving theatres once again facing a devastating loss of business.

With the necessary self-isolation requirements for confirmed Covid-19 cases, and the fact that productions of this scale are unable to contract and rehearse significant understudies, the decision has been taken to cease performances entirely. The show will close 3 weeks earlier than planned.

The final performance of The Rhythmics took place on Saturday 11 December, ahead of the press night.

Aria Entertainment’s Katy Lipson said, “Our beautiful production of Rhythmics has just been dealt blow after blow including having to cancel two press nights and so we have been left with no other option than to close the show before we even were able to officially open it. This company have worked so hard to tell this beautiful story, but we have to do what is best for all involved and the show itself and therefore have decided to not continue with the production until January 8th. We hope that one day audiences will get to share the joy and sentiments of this new British musical.”

Metta Theatre’s P Burton-Morgan said, “‘We are devastated to deliver this news on the day where we should have been reading our reviews – just as we were finally actually ready to offer up this absolute gem of a show to the world. To our company and audiences, we can only offer our deepest and most sincere apologies. We hope, with all our hearts, that the day will come again when we get a second chance to share this beautiful production with the world.”

Patrons who have booked can either request a direct refund, or to donate the ticket money to the production, to help mitigate the loss that this cancellation has caused. Refunds will be issued automatically by the Southwark Playhouse box office, but those who would like to donate should contact them in the next 7 days to let them know.

Malvern Theatre – until 2nd January 2022

Reviewed by Kathie Hodges

5*****

It’s Panto season and The Malvern Theatres are hosting this swashbuckling production of Peter Pan and it’s so good…. ‘Oh no it isn’t’ ~ ‘oh yes it is’.

Cleverly written, It’s a follow on story because as we all know Captain Hook was famously forced to walk the plank, but he’s back, and set way in the future, Wendy is in fact 104 and her great granddaughter Emily Darling is bought into the story, played by Jenny Huxley Golden.

West end star Tom Lister is absolutely fabulous As Captain Hook, known of course for his role as Carl King in Emmerdale. He plays an absolute blinder as the Villain, constantly booed by the audience, who really didn’t know whether to laugh or boo because he was often laughing himself!

Lloyd Warbley star of Disney Juniors Art Attack plays Peter and Malvern’s regular pantomime funny man Mark James plays Smee. Clearly loved and adored by the entire audience and an immediate hit Smee had the audience in stitches throughout.

The entire cast were fabulous belting out some great songs and dance routines all of which were current enough for the audience to participate and sing along. The show included acrobatics, performed by The Nitwits, water pistols aimed at the audience of course! Lots of jokes relevant to the time including the all essential Boris jokes, references to Facebook and general silly fun for all of the family to enjoy.

A must see ✨

North East theatre company all set to dazzle once more with Priscilla 

Get your glitter on and take the ride of your life with the hilarious and heart-warming Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert live on stage at the Darlington Hippodrome in April next year. 

Following their most recent production, Strictly Musicals 3, Darlington Operatic Society stages this international smash hit musical complete with a dazzling array of over 300 outrageous costumes and head-pieces created by the team at Carry On Costumes who have produced specialist pantomime costumes for Christopher Biggins and Paul O’Grady as well as costumes for the recent West End hit Elf the Musical. 

Completing the fun is a hit parade of infectious dance songs from the 70s and 80s by Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper, Donna Summer, The Village People, Kylie Minogue and many others and include “I Will Survive”, “Don’t Leave Me This Way”, “Hot Stuff”, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, “True Colours” and “I Love The Nightlife.”  

Casting includes Ben Connor (Tick), George Hurley (Adam), Julian Cound (Bernadette), David Murray (Bob), Jess Harrison (Diva), Claire Willmer (Diva), Jenny Poole (Diva) and Kirsty Furness (Marion), supported by a full company of 25 performers and a live 9 piece band. 

Based on the 1994 smash hit movie, Priscilla Queen of the Desert follows the journey of two drag queens, Tick and Adam, and a transgender woman, Bernadette, as they travel across Australia in their bus, named Priscilla. Tick has been asked to perform at a hotel in Alice Springs by his estranged wife, Marion. Taking Adam and Bernadette along with him, the trio drive from Sydney to the remote resort town in the middle of the desert. Tick tells his companions that the trip is a favour to his ex-wife, but does not reveal that he also has a young son he does not know, but who now wants to meet his father. As they head west, Tick, Adam, and Bernadette learn to accept and support each other, whilst encountering a number of strange and colourful characters along the way. After experiencing violent homophobic threats, Adam is forced to realize that not everyone is accepting of his flamboyant lifestyle, whilst Bernadette opens up to the possibility of love again following the death of her husband. Upon reaching Alice Springs, Tick finally meets his son, Benji, who accepts his father’s drag queen persona. The trio perform at the resort and realize that they have forged a bond that will last forever.  

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a flamboyant, funny, disco-fuelled musical that is guaranteed to get the audience up on their feet. Don’t miss the bus! Hop on for a journey to the heart of fabulous! 

Priscilla Queen of the Desert runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Wednesday 27 April to Saturday 7 May, 2022. Tickets are available now from www.darlingtonos.org.uk or by calling the ticket hotline on 01325 244659. Age recommendation 14+ 

Watford Palace theatre – until 2nd January 2022

Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes

4****

Telling the story of the future Lord Mayor of London, Dick Whittington and his Cat is a family friendly panto that will have you laughing from start to finish.

Set in London, the panto tells the story of Dick Whittington (Reece Evans) as he travels to London. On his adventures Dick is joined by a pink tiger named Tum Tum (Louise Cielecki), love interest Alice (Rhiannon Bacchus) and the fabulous Sherrie Trifle (Terence Frisch) as they fight the evil Verminia Yobb (Natasha Lewis) and sidekick Garbage (Grace Lai). With a set made to look like the London underground, a flan factory and the Tum Tum’s home island of Xanadu, and amazing outfits, especially for Sherrie, it is clear to see why this production of Dick Whittington is so popular.  The scene that gets the most laughs is the scene in the flan factory where Sherrie is explaining to Dick how the flans are made, with flan cases and custard flying everywhere, as you would expect with a panto.

Featuring catchy songs, including Verminia singing Rappers Delight and Tum Tum singing Xanadu, the story works well and the scenes are linked together with narration by Bellvedere (Thomas Fabian Parrish). The best song however is the Trifle song, which Sherrie gets the audience to sing at the end of the show, which is mainly popular with the younger members of the audience. 

With lots of traditional panto aspects such as shouting “it’s behind you” and “oh yes it is/oh no it isn’t”, the innuendos, especially with regards Dick’s name, aren’t as common as they are in other versions of this show, this family friendly panto needs to be viewed by everyone this panto season.