Dick Whittington At Parr Hall, Warrington Review

Reviewed by Rebecca Wong                         

Panto season isn’t finished yet and so there is still time to catch this little Christmas gift, that’s being put on for us by Tony Peers Productions at the Parr Hall in Warrington – oh yes there is!  Parr Hall Theatre is located in the centre of Warrington making it really easy to access by car; with ample parking within walking distance or by public transport. The theatre is small with very friendly and helpful staff and very welcoming to families.

I went to the panto with my family and the theatre was full of excited children (as well as grown-ups) which made for a lovely atmosphere.  We were here to watch the story of Dick Whittington, a young man played by Milkshakes Amy Thompson.  Guided through the story by Fairy Bowbells played by Freya Ebbrell, Dick, with his trusty cat Tommy by his side, set off to London in search of his fortune.  We follow his adventures as he meets the love of his life; the beautiful Alice (played by Amy Leek) who is the daughter of a local shop owner Mrs Fitzwarren.  Mrs Fitzwarren was played by the wonderfully funny and vibrant Mark Newall; the Dame of the story.  The shop and the rest of London are experiencing a massive infestation of rats.  To everyone’s delight, Tommy has a real talent for catching rats and so they are given a place to sleep in return for Tommy’s services.  In the meantime, Dick makes an enemy of Queen Rat – boo – played by Natalie Walton who gets him cast out of the shop – more boos!  We also have the sheer delight of meeting the ship’s Captain (played by Leo Atkin) and the Captains Mate who gave us a barrel of laughs – the kids loved him! Captain takes them all on an overseas adventure on their ship were we hope that good overcomes evil.

The panto was so much fun for the children – with a few tongue-in-cheek jokes thrown in for the adults too.  Everyone loved the Captain’s Mate who had his own brand of cheeky humour – look out for his magic tricks – it was a real highlight.  Mrs Fitz was a great fun character with some dazzling costumes and a ‘ringing bells’ routine that had everyone in stitches.

If you are looking for a fun panto for all the family just to keep hold of that festive feeling for a little bit longer then you’re in luck,  Dick Whittington is on until 15^th January.  Tickets can be purchased at https://parrhall.culturewarrington.org/whats-on/dick-whittington/ from as little as £11 with concessions available for families and seniors.  The view from all seats in the theatre is great, as it is a small intimate venue.  Not only that, but there will also be two accessible performances, one with a sign language interpreter and one relaxed/dementia-friendly performance for those that might appreciate it.   It’s a 5/5 from me. So what are you waiting for, start this New Year off with a cheer and giggle and book your tickets today!