Look behind you…Its Christmas Panto Time!

Dick Whittington

Theatre Severn

28 November 2025 / 4 January 2026

Year on year the biggest treat for most Salopians is a trip to the annual pantomime. It is worth saying immediately they are normally delighted they went. This year delight is just too small a superlative and won’t cover it. Why? This might be the best one ever.

With the annual coming together of Tommy J and Brad Fitt the panto gets funnier every year. This show is the best yet, a tour de ’force and there is no doubting that fact. Brad undoubtedly owns that stage he had made the show so incredibly special not just from his hilarious stage costume and astonishing stage presence but behind the scenes Brad Fitt directed the show too and rather like a stick of Shrewsbury Rock Brad’s name runs right through it. More later.

The show was written as always by TV presenter Paul Hendy, it was crammed with hilarious one liners and ludicrous situations which mark the Shrewsbury annual panto out as possibly the funniest thing that appears on the auditorium stage throughout the year.

Our heroine Alice Fitzwarren (Lottie Stone) worked in her mother’s sweet shop until a handsome stranger comes along with his enigmatic cat Caroline, (Izzy Charlotte Oliver,) appears on the scene and true love ensues. Alice was strong, her vocals were great, and her timing always spot on. Caroline the cat was played just so perfectly, and the audience took her to their hearts.

Tim Whitnall’s King Rat needs a paragraph to himself. He was such a great baddie in a brilliant way. His measure of evil and eventual contrition was perfect, and the children were loving to hate this incredibly well observed performance. Whether he was appearing up in the circle looking over the balustrade and delivering his evil lines or on the stage, the children loved to hate him.. His costume was lavish and so was his acting. He might just take the medal as being one of the best baddies we have seen over the full sixteen years of previous pantos and there has been some brilliant ones. Mr. Whitnall delivered something extra special to this feast of comedy, and he was much loved.

Fairy Bowbells, (Cara Dudgeon) was beautiful, she sang like a lark and won the audience over almost immediately, the part was handled with aplomb. The fairy delivered a perfect performance, as did the handsome Dick Whittington (Ollie Wray) The eponymous Whittington sang beautifully and again won the audience immediately. The casting of this show is just so good, everybody seemed destined to play the parts they did and this all went to make the pantomime the strongest show around.

The dancers and villagers too were just perfect. Choreographed by Chris Hall the dancing was slick and clever.  I always watch the actors who are not engaged in the dialogue, one looks for reactions as well as actions. There wasn’t a single performer on the stage who wasn’t utterly invested in their jobs and switched on. The children of the village were delightful and astonishingly professional and committed to their parts. Just as the adults were, the youngsters were tuned in and there was no doubt they had worked so hard in rehearsal, and the reward was shared amongst us all.

I always comment on how I love to see the theatre fully used in a production and of course, that includes the Orchestra Pit and the musicians. Looking after this we find Musical Supervisor is Alex Turney and the Musical director and keys Matt Hall, joined by Jim Bashford on drums and Will scattergood on guitar; the music is perfect. Adding both atmosphere and pathos the musicians do do a wonderful job. When one first hears the music one is instantly found in London Town or on a ship or in the village square. The music will take you there just a quickly as any other theatrical device and when wielded in such a creative and supportive way one would find it hard to criticise such a tight unit if one had such a mind to. There is no fault to be found as they are just superb. The music is wonderful and goes a very long way into turning this show into the spectacle it is. Not a cue missed, the key word is talent and the musicians have tons of that.

Costume for this delight was beautiful; Helga Wood and Amy Chamberlain are to be commended for their eye to detail and the clever way the clothing worked, all adding to the mis en scene and turning the show from great to fantastic. The same goes to Michael J Batchelor and Joey’s Dame whos’ humour and skill creating the dames’ costumes turned Brad Fitt’s fabulous dame from Superb to  stupendous. The devil is most definitely in the detail, and the costumes could not be improved on.

Helga Wood also designed the set and again its level of wonder delighted the audience. Such clever design belying a true sense of tradition and theatre. Wonderful to see.

Technically the show was well provided for with a million lighting and sound cues being hit exactly as they should be, spot on. Everything goes to make up a great theatrical performance, from the Stars to the Technicians all working together to create the festive treat.

One says this every year, and it is meant every year: Brad Fitt is a unique talent. He is funny naturally, he can move and he can command. His first entrance is so important and this year as every year his arrival on stage brought immediate laughter and cheers. I will not reveal his first entrance, but it is side splittingly funny, and his first costume had people falling about with laughter.

With its’ usual pizzazz, its humour, the music, set and costume, and especially the cast, youngest through to the more experienced older players, were just perfect. This is a hot ticket, a must see, and for this reviewer the best one yet. Stuffed with hilarity and laughter, this Dick Whittington is the best one this reviewer has ever seen. It is an amazing delight and a gift to Shrewsbury town. That qualifies it as perhaps the greatest Theatre Severn panto we have seen over the years…. Oh yes, it is!

This Five Star Review

Sofia Lewis