*AD – this experience was gifted to our family for this post. All opinions, as always, are our own.
I am going to start this off by saying, as an American who lives in England, I have never actually gone to a panto. I didn’t really knew what one was, going into this, but here we are! Dann and I went along to Dick Whittington, a wonderful, fun, zany panto that is good fun for the whole family! I was truly impressed by both the actors within this performance and the British population, who all seemed to know exactly when to take part in this performance.
Dick Whittington is a young boy who has just moved to London Town, to start on his music career and go on adventures! He runs into a young women who’s parents have died, who runs a bakery, along with a tail-less cat, and starts an adventure with them both! Along the way, we also get introduced to the bakery owner, who acts as the Daime in the show, doing a lot of the jokes. There was also a narrator who had other roles throughout, and of course the baddies; a gang of three rats.
None of that really goes together, but I think that’s part of the fun in Dick Whittington – the rats are trying to take over London, the bakery is being sabotaged, everyone is just itching for an adventure, and it gets wild and wacky from there. They take an airship, for some reason, and crash land in Vegas, where Elvis shows up… it’s a wild ride, and one that’s hard to actually explain!
Dick Whittington has a lot of classic panto moments; singing, shouting back at the characters, helping them see baddies, running through the audience, along with innuendos that would go above your child’s head. The entire performance had a lot of really fun bits in it; the stage was transformed several times, the costumes were wonderful (especially the dresses that the daime had!) and there was a lot of singing, dancing, and music. Each of the performances seemed to know at least three different instruments, which were often being played at the side lines or during dance performances. There was just so much talent with the cast!
The end of the show had a giant sing and dance along, which felt so fitting to wrap up this wild, silly adventure that we all had been on together, shouting out and helping along the way. If you have little ones, or want to enjoy a classic panto, Dick Whittington is not one to miss.
You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!
Another great night out to a wonderful theater! Thanks for the review and your focus on the talent of the characters.
I absolutely LOVE comedy stage shows like this! The costumes let me know this is going to be a fun one.
I love all the colors of their costumes, and their facial expressions look so emotive. I know I’d love this one.
I don’t think pantos are meant to make sense! I struggle with the silliness of some of them – and live in fear throughout of them singling me out!!
Sounds like a fun performance to watch! I would love to return to England and watch something like this!
I never heard of Dick Whittington but it looks like a fun performance. It also looks like one that the whole family can participate in!
Hey there! I loved reading your blog post about your first experience with a panto, especially considering you’re an American living in England! It’s always fascinating to explore new cultural traditions, and your genuine curiosity and excitement shine through in your writing.
It’s great that you and Dann attended “Dick Whittington” and had such a positive experience. Pantomimes are indeed a unique blend of humor, music, and audience participation, creating a lively atmosphere that’s perfect for the whole family.
Singing, dancing, humor, and gorgeous costumes? Yes, that sounds great to me. 🙂
I love their outfits! This looks like such a fun show to attend in person.
I had no idea whatsoever about panto until I read this post. Comedy stage shows are real fun to watch when you know what’s happening in front of you. Awesome read!
The mix of classic panto moments, wild twists, and talented performances sounds like the perfect recipe for a memorable family outing.
🌟 What a delightful read on the Dick Whittington panto! Your vivid descriptions transported me right into the magical world of the performance.✨
What a fun live show and lovely memory! Looks like a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit!
Can’t believe you had never experienced a panto before! They are so much fun and a great British tradition.
I’m a BIG panto fan, but I’ve never seen Dick Whittington before! I think it’s the theme of the Nottingham panto this year though, so there’s still time for me to finally tick it off the list 🙂
I didn’t know about Panto but it looks really so much fun there. I loved the costumes. Would love to watch this show sometime