A Purrfect Tale of Pirates, Rats Chaos, and Comedy!

 The Riverfront was alive with the sounds of laughter, singing, and the occasional toddler loudly explaining the plot (inaccurately, but with confidence). It was like a warm, festive hug from the entire city of Newport.

Set in Newport, this year’s show took the classic rags-to-riches tale and sprinkled it with just the right amount of chaos and glitter. Dick, our hero, leaves Swansea to seek fame, fortune, and possibly a Newport bus pass. Along the way, he faces pirates, rats, and the sort of misunderstandings that only a pantomime can turn into a life lesson. But fear not, for Fairy Daffodil swoops in with her magic, sparkles, and more sass than you’d expect from someone named after a flower.

Every panto needs a Dame, and Sarah the Cook did not disappoint. Her outfits were so extravagant I half-expected the Millennium Centre to collapse in jealousy. Her son Jack was the star of slapstick, getting splattered with enough soup, spaghetti, and mousse to cater a wedding. Honestly, I’m not sure whether the kids or the grandparents were laughing harder—there was definitely some competitive cackling going on.

And, of course, the villain! Queen Rat glided onto the stage, glamorous and malevolent, and was met with the kind of boos that football fans would be proud of. Every panto villain needs a thick skin and a fabulous wardrobe, and she nailed both.

But the real show-stealer? The Pussycat. Played by Richard Elis, this furry sidekick delivered puns so terrible they looped right back around to brilliant. By the end, I was half-tempted to adopt a cat just so I could teach it to perform a double paw-spin.

The second half was where the real madness kicked off. Pirates, shipwrecks, and an octopus that seemed to have wandered in from a science-fiction convention had us all on the edge of our seats. The kids in our row were wide-eyed, Angela was crying with laughter, and I was mentally composing a list of my favourite silly songs (a hard task when you’re shouting, “He’s behind you!” every five seconds).

In true panto style, it ended with cheers, an engagement and sore throats all around. Angela and I left feeling like kids again, and the little girls we’d been chatting with in the interval gave it a glowing review: “So funny! And we like the flying fairy!” Honestly, same.

So if you’re after a couple of hours of joy, silliness, and a chance to shout at villains without getting arrested, Dick Whittington at The Riverfront is the place to be. It’s running until 4th January 2025, so grab your tickets—and maybe some throat lozenges—while you can.