Dick Whittington At Theatre Royal Plymouth Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Laura B

At the Theatre Royal Plymouth, the long-standing festive tradition, known as the panto season officially opened last weekend (and runs for the next 4 weeks) and this year is an absolute cracker of a show… “oh yes it is” (sorry!).

A magical yet ‘purr-felt’ tale of adventure, one that is full of sequins, sparkles, and plenty of loud ‘Janner’ banter, alongside references to Plymouth and local humour starring the highly versatile and much-loved iconic British entertainer, Shane Richie – as the lead role of Dick Whittington.

Be prepared for plenty of ‘dick’ jokes with an abundance of potty humour, and lots of cheeky innuendo. Delivered with warmth and a knowing twinkle, that only Richie can convey, the humour keeps adults laughing while staying firmly family-friendly. Read on to find out more — I promise to keep spoilers to a minimum!

The stage comes to life as the curtain lifts and the audience is transported with a London Palladium set and costumes straight from the West End. The evil Queen Rat, Anne Smith, hypes up the audience with booing and hissing as we are introduced to her sidekick, King Rat, a huge, scary-looking animatronic creature, and together they set the scene for Dick Whittington’s journey to London via the eradication of the rats!

Throughout the pantomime, we are treated to a spectacular display of lavish, gleaming and gloriously over-the-top sets and special effects with every single costume stealing the show.

Every time West End performer and local Plymouth talent Samuel J Holmes glides onto the stage as The Spirit of Bow Bells, the audience is left in awe. Delivering a truly standout performance, Holmes dazzles with a seamless series of opulent, glittery, and increasingly colourful costume changes—we honestly lost count! Each appearance brings a fresh wave of theatrical magic to the production.

Emily Beth Harrington (Alice), Kira McPherson’s delightful, scene-stealing Kitty Cat, and pantomime dame extraordinaire, Iain Stuart Robertson as Sarah the Cook elevate the production even further, creating a cast that is brimming with charisma, comic flair, and infectious energy. The dazzling ensemble and choreography, faultless and perfect in every way. The special effects provided by The Twins FX team, were pretty amazing too! (No spoilers)…

This is a pantomime where I want to describe everything in detail, but equally, I have promised not to give away too much! Suffice to say the pantomime was fast-paced, and slick, very quickly we had the end of Act 1 and the interval.

Act 2 opened with ‘On Board the Good Ship Bow Bells’ cue the audience singing along and 4 youngsters being selected to be involved on stage with Richie, who was sensitive yet very funny as he respectfully, brought out the best in them all! It seemed like we’d only just sat down in our seats before the finale and the cast concluded with ‘It’s Party Time!’ and the curtain went down.

In conclusion, Dick Whittington was truly exceptional—a sensational, gold-paved spectacle that sparkles from start to finish. Watching the magic unfold was an absolute joy, and being part of the high-energy audience participation made it an unforgettable experience, perfect for the whole family.

Rating: 5/5
Tickets can be purchased at https://theatreroyal.com/whats-on/dick-whittington/
Prices start from £18
Dick Whittington runs from 12th December 2025 – 10th January 2025.