Dick Whittington

Burley Players

Burley Village Hall

The Burley Players know how to pick a good panto script. This one was full of visual comedy, gags, and song and dance, woven within a classical story of good versus evil. Nicola Burley (Dick Whittington) was in fine fettle as the principal boy, falling for the beautiful-voiced Alice Cutler (Alice Fitzwarren) and supported by Emily Newns, a most feline Tom.

The cast set out to sea with The Captain, Paul Berry and his side-kick Sharon Street (Scupper) cutting a fine jib. The baddie, Steve McTaggart (King Rat) was truly scary; children sat at the front scarpered back to the safety of their parents when he sank the ship. Their fear was tempered by an eye-catching UV underwater scene and the accomplished chorus and rat numbers.

The only blots on the horizon being the frequent sound feedback and the even more frequent heckles from some audience members, but hats off to the cast who handled them and the script admirably.

Rebecca Case