With freezing temperatures and snow covering much of the country earlier this week, feelings of Christmas have most definitely been in the air.
That’s certainly been the case over in Coventry where panto season is already in full swing with the launch of Dick Whittington at the city’s Belgrade Theatre.
Written and directed by Belgrade legend Iain Lauchlan and also starring Craig Hollingsworth, this production is everything you want it to be – friendly, funny and perhaps just a little bit cheeky – all wrapped up with a great big Christmas bow.
Clever staging, and a set which is a joyful riot of glitter and colour, brings this traditional festive tale of Dick Whittington’s triumph over King Rat to life. A songbook of classics, cleverly brought bang up to date with music from the present day, is just another delicious treat to savour, giving the show a sharp, modern twist the whole family will love.
In this his 30th Belgrade panto, Iain Lauchlan is gloriously outrageous as the dame, Sarah the Cook, while the magnificent Craig Hollingsworth brings warmth and humour to the role of Idle Jack. My daughters, both huge Swifties, also adored Scratch played by Aonghas Ewen who lit up the stage with their blend of fabulous fun.
But it was audience member Dean who was the unlikely star of this performance, bringing the house down as he took audience participation to the next level. Just brilliant!
As Christmas approaches you must take some time to wrap yourself up in this cosy blanket of a show, guaranteed to keep your family’s hearts glowing well into the new year.
The show runs until January 4th, 2025 and tickets are on sale now at www.belgrade.co.uk
By Clare Brennan
