Dick Whittington, National Theatre at Home review - colourful and amiable entertainment | reviews, news & interviews Dick Whittington, National Theatre at Home review - colourful and amiable entertainment
Dick Whittington, National Theatre at Home review - colourful and amiable entertainment
Free stream of the NT s Covid-affected pantomime
by Veronica LeeMonday, 11 January 2021
Lawrence Hodgson-Mullings as Dick WhittingtonThe Other Richard
In a much-depleted and truncated pantomime season that withered on the vine, the National Theatre s debut production of
Dick Whittington lasted only four performances before the show was cancelled; it has now released this recording, which will be available throughout the current lockdown.
31 December, 2020 â By Lucy Popescu
Imelda Staunton in Looking a Lot Like Christmas. Photo: Marc Brenner
DESPITE the depressing Covid restrictions on live theatre, there are some wonderful online treats to see in the New Year and beyond.
The Donmar Warehouseâs celebratory Looking a Lot Like Christmas, filmed in St Paulâs in the heart of Covent Garden, affectionately known as The Actorsâ Church, is glorious to watch. An hour of musical numbers, sketches and seasonal poetry, starring Jim Carter, Minnie Driver, Inua Ellams, Imelda Staunton, Giles Terera and others, the concert is available to stream online until January 5. Itâs free but donations to the Donmar are welcome. Visit:
On the 23rd of December, the National Theatre moved its Dick Whittington Pantomime online for free, proving that not even the tightening of two more lockdowns can stop the love of panto filling the hearts of thousands this Christmas. The pantomime follows the classic Dick Whittington storyline of his journey to London and his election as Mayor though with plenty of modern twists. The panto itself does a wonderful job at displaying the rich diversity of London and the joy of Christmas theatre. Its feel-good soundtrack includes renditions of songs such as ‘I gotta feeling’ by The Black Eyed Peas, ‘Mr Brightside’ by The Killers, and ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues, as well as some more recent tracks like ‘Bad Guy’ by Billie Eilish, ‘Don’t start now’ by Dua Lipa, ‘Daisies’ by Katy Perry, and ‘Dynamite’ by BTS.
Louche ⦠Dickie Beau as the dame, with Lawrence Hodgson-Mullings as Dick Whittington. Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The Guardian
Christmas might be cancelled, but they canât take away our pantomimes. Or not the National Theatreâs at least, which is offering up its second ever panto online â free of charge even though it has only just launched its paid-for streaming service.
It is a generous, feelgood gesture, perfectly suited to this can-do story about a man and his street-smart cat. An updated revival of Jude Christian and Cariad Lloydâs song-filled show, which premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith in 2018, it takes some sideways glances at the pandemic and fires the odd broadside, but does not get too bogged down by the depressing realities.