Dick Whittington

Published Wednesday 20 December 2006 at 13:20 by Victor Hallett

The winning combination at Rhyl this year is Dick and his Cat. Tara Bethan proves herself to be a superb Principal Boy in the great tradition. She has a strong stage presence, acts well, possesses lovely comic timing and sings beautifully. There’s a true rapport with Grace Harrington’s Alice.

The real buzz occurs whenever Tommy the cat is around. Chris Gage’s acrobatic movements, feline personality and sheer lovability make it very difficult to take your eyes off him.

Ken Morley isn’t the most villainous of King Rats but he builds a good relationship with the audience and there’s some lovely back-chat between him and Anna Karen’s down-to-earth Fairy.

I found Rik Gaynor’s Idle Jack a little too aggressive but the audience didn’t agree with me, certainly not when he got them screaming. If there’s one thing Rhyl likes, it’s a good scream.

There are neat comedy moments from Nick Wilton’s Sarah the Cook and ventriloquist Naughty Nigel Harvey but in general the routines still need relaxing into. It was the musical side that was strongest, with stage-filling numbers performed with energy and vigour.

Not a Rhyl panto of the finest vintage but three rousing cheers for Dick and his/her cat.