Filmed during the show's 4th preview performance whilst socially-distanced audiences were allowed into theatres and shows could be performed under strict guidelines, this was this year's pantomime offering from The National Theatre in London. The traditional tale of Dick Whittington was reimagined by Jude Christian and Cariad Lloyd.
The stage looked much more like a circus ring than anything, being performed in the round with special lighting effects created throughout. In fact the lighting was superb in this show.
This was a very London-centric panto, and some of the references, accents etc didn't really travel outside of the county. I found Queen Rat's (Amy Booth Street) vowel placement so strange it was almost impossible to understand some of her dialogue. Whilst other characters in the hugely multicultural cast had London accents appropriate to their ethnicity, and since Dick spoke a generic Northern accent - supposedly coming from Leeds - it became a bit of a struggle listening to the cast as everyone spoke in a different way.
There were some lovely ideas in this show: the Mayor of London being a pigeon, the game shows, etc, - but generally this was not a traditional panto in the accepted sense but much more of a children's musical comedy, since most of the accepted 'rules' of panto.... a principal boy, the routines, the audience responses, the 'behind yous' the 'oh no it isn'ts' etc were all sadly lacking or even nonexistent.
The 'gimmicks' of the stage design seemed to take pride of place in this show, and indeed, if they had not have been so colourful, bold and plentiful, the show would have fallen flat on its face sadly.
Directed by Ned Bennett, the show took a very long time to warm up, and even once it did it never got out of third gear, and some of the characterisations didn't land either unfortunately.
Upbeat choreography, super lighting and colourful set props made it visually intersting, but it was a very luke-warm and uninspiring show in every other regard sadly.
Shown online as part of 'The Shows Must Go On' series on YouTube.
Reviewer - Chris Benchley
on - 23/12/20
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