FDS - Dick Whittington poster

Dick Whittington

A pantomime by Peter Webster
Saturday 27 January 2018 - Sunday 28 January 2018
& Friday 2 February 2018 - Saturday 3 February 2018
Faringdon Junior School, 26 Gloucester Street, Faringdon SN7 7HY
Directed by Peter Webster
Producer: Debbie Lock
Musical Director: Verity Roberts & Helen Thrower

Performances start 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Doors open 30 minutes earlier. Each performance lasts approximately 2½ hours. Matinées on Saturdays and Sunday only.
Tickets: Adult £8. Child (under 16) £6. No concessions. Tickets were available from our Online Box Office and The Gifted Magpie, 6 London Street, Faringdon.

Dick Whittington is a character in a story that was adapted to the stage in 1605 and became popular as a pantomime subject in the 19th century, called Dick Whittington and His Cat, very loosely based on the life of Sir Richard Whittington (1354-1423). The traditional story tells how Dick, a boy from a poor Gloucestershire family, sets out for London to make his fortune, accompanied by, or later acquiring, his cat. At first he meets with little success, and is tempted to return home. However, on his way out of the city, whilst climbing Highgate Hill, he hears the Bow Bells of London ringing, and believes they are sending him a message.

This will be the debut production of a brand new pantomime written by our own Peter Webster (his tenth).

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Synopsis: Dick and his cat Calico have arrived in London Town seeking to make their fortunes, only to find that they are not at all welcome as the locals are very suspicious of strangers. However, Alderman Fitzwarren’s adopted daughter Alice persuades her father to give Dick a chance by giving him a job, much to Fitzwarren’s wife Phobia’s displeasure. Calico is also taken on to help Tapioca Dripping, Fitzwarren’s cook, keep marauding rats out of her pantry. Captain Cockleshell and Salty Swab, the captain and mate of the good ship The Unicorn, arrive to collect their orders for the next trading voyage, only to find that they have to carry sacks of flour to the ship, much to their disgust. All set off to prepare for the voyage, leaving Alice to confide in Dick that she is an orphan and that despite appearances her life is not easy as she is much put upon by her stepmother and that Dick’s arrival is a breath of fresh air …

To read more or purchase the script please visit the author’s PetePanto.co.uk website.

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Photographs by David Farquhar

Cast (in order of appearance):

Dick - Jack Metcalf
Calico (Dick’s cat) - Skye Farquhar*; Lauren Elvidge-Tappenden*
Alderman Fitzwarren - Adrian Wells
Alice Fitzwarren (his adopted daughter) - Millie Long
Phobia Fitzwarren (his wife) - Katie Dyet
Tapioca Dripping (the cook) - Joan Lee
Captain Cockleshell - Duncan Sinclair
Salty Swab (the ship’s mate) - Fiona Merrick
Snitch (the chief rat0 - Verity Roberts
Black Berry (the pirate chief) - Helen Thrower
Boho (King of Barbary) - Josh Dunn
Princess Poppy - Poppy Mawdsley
The Rats - Isabelle Dawson; Kia Howard; Alfie Long*; Dexter Kent*; Henry Marlow; Byron Pound; Daniel Watson*
The Cats (and citizens) - Lauren Elvidge-Tappenden*; Skye Farquhar*; Alicia Howard*; Tiffany Jakovljevevich*; Lynne Puddifoot*; Willow Tate*; Romilly Tinson*; Samantha Viner*
The Pirates (and citizens) - Kayleigh Booth; Jan Crowdson; Josh Dunn; Carole Tappenden; Sam Tate; Leo Thrower
The Crew (and citizens) - Julie Biggs; Katie Goodwin; Poppy Mawdsley; Helen Tate; Carolyn Taylor
Orchestra: piano - Fiona Williams
drums - Nick Morris
guitar - Richard Lock
bass guitar - Martin Waymark

See programme for further details.


Production No.190 (6 shows were performed over 4 days). An amateur production presented by arrangement with Peter Webster Ltd. www.petepanto.co.uk