Review – Tony Clarke Beccles & Bungay Journal – Jan 1996
A good turn again, Whittington
In the 20 years since Loddon Pantomime Players first started staging their annual New Year show they have accumulated expertise on the boards, offered generations of young people a chance to take part and given a new meaning to the term family entertainment.
The first performance of their latest offering also revealed that the Players had built a personal rapport with the enthusiastic following.
This year Maureen Larkin, who has blossomed over the years as a natural comedian, has produced the show for the first time and takes two of the comedy parts with her customary limitless energy. But she has the support of a well tried team which includes directors Jane Evans and Ann Turner, and the advice of her predecessor Joan Evans who has also written the script.
David Bolam, as Jasmine Junket, proves a worthy successor to long serving dame Derek Loyd, who also retired last year but has continued to offer his advice.
Dick Whittington follows the Loddon tradition of a good clean fun filled family show; a community effort full of colour, music and inventiveness with a cast which ranges from 7 year olds to parents and grandparents and an abundant supply of humour, some of it alluding to local talking points and personalities.
Dick Whittington (Lynne Kentish) and his wonderful cat (Anthony Bunting) set off on their journey to fame and fortune from Norton Subcourse and, being none too well educated, find themselves at Loddon instead of London.
They got involved in a variety of knock-about comedy, some excellent dance sequences choreographed by Joan Gisborne, and some strong musical interludes which owe much to the versatility of musical director Beryl Carver.
