Seeing a panto in November was a first for me – but the New Wolsey’s Rock ‘n’ Roll is a treat that cannot be missed, and Monday’s performance of Dick Whittington was a triumph.
Fairies, an evil Rat King plotting to take over London and a cat that just wants a name – what’s not to love? The cast soon had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands, booing, cheering and chorusing ‘He’s behind you!’
The show was fully booked, an impressive feat for a Monday night, and it was fantastic to see so many children out with their parents, soaking up the festive atmosphere. They needed no prompting to join in, and were the first on their feet when it came to the encore.
The story began with Ipswich boy Dick Whittington (clad in an Ipswich Town football shirt) declaring his plan to journey to London to seek his fortune – accompanied by the nameless Cat, who he happened to meet on the way.
Luke Thornton as Dick and Myles Miller as the Cat set the performance bar high with their energetic rendition of ‘I Would Walk 70 Miles’, jam-packed full of references that had the audience howling.
The Toys ‘R’ Us roundabout at Copdock got a cheer, and the adult store on the A12 had screams of laughter.
Later in the show, the phrase ‘What are you doing? This isn’t Norwich!” was greeted whoops and applause.
Last year’s pantomime dame Steve Simmonds tried his hand at being the villainous King Rat – and he did not disappoint.
Every time I attend a Rock ‘n’ Roll panto, I am in awe of the performers, who can not only sing, act and dance with gusto, but have mastered multiple instruments. There’s an old saying about Ginger Rogers doing everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in heels. Steve Simmonds can do it all with an electric guitar.
Eagle-eyed audience members will have spotted that the programme included pronouns for each of the cast members. I thought this was a really nice touch and I hope to see more of this going forward: it reflects the diversity of the cast, and reinforces the idea that the theatre is a welcoming space for all.
No panto is complete without its pantomime dame, and this year that role fell to the inimitable Max Kinder as Sarah. For me, Max stole the show, bounding out to greet the crowds with equal amounts of cheer and cheekiness.
Sarah’s daughter Alice was played by Elizabeth Rowe, and to quote Peter Kay, what a voice! Another rising star could be seen in Janna May who played the Fairy in this, her first professional actor-musician show.
As always in panto, the audience is encouraged and expected to join in, and Dave in the front row became an honorary cast member. He was a great sport – and was promised a call from Dame Sarah in the days to come.
A show is all the more enjoyable when you can see the cast is having a ball, and that much was evident on Monday night. If an actor broke character, nobody was more delighted about it than their cast mates. Overall, the show is just the thing you need to get you in the festive spirit – roll on Christmas!
Dick Whittington will be playing at the New Wolsey Theatre until Saturday, January 20.
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