About the panto

Dick Whittington is one of the few 'home grown' Brtish pantomime stories and practically the only one that has some foundation in fact. There was indeed a person called Dick Whittington in the 14th century (he was born about 1350) and he did become Lord Mayor of London, but there the similarities end. Dick was born into a wealthy family and through shrewd business built up his fortune still further. Soon becoming Sir Richard Whittington, he was a Member of Parliament and a successful merchant who made his money exportng fine English wool to the continent as well as importing silk and velvet, and there is nothing in the history books to suggest that he was impoverished or came to London as a poor man to make his fortune at all. He also engaged in money lending and through the profits he made, financed many building projects in London, including the building of the Guildhall. He was however a philanthropist, and donated large sums of money to worthy causes; as a result, he was extremely popular and did indeed serve three terms as Lord Mayor.

There is also sound historical evidence, of course, that the rat population in London was running out of control even before the great plague of 1665 which killed around 100,000 Londoners, about 20% of the city's population. So it would seem that the tale of the popular Lord Mayor has, over the centuries, become intertwined with the infestation of rats some 250 years later to form one of the best loved stories of our time.

MyLight Productions version of Dick Whittington has all the ingredients you would expect from a traditional panto - the dashing hero, his sweetheart Alice, the good hearted Sarah, Idle Jack, a trip to an exotic island where Dick makes his fortune thanks to his feisty cat, Tommy and, of course, the evil King (or Queen) Rat who is intent on over-running London for their own wicked purposes.

Sample script

London Docks

The tabs open onto a large, busy quayside. People are bustling about and sailors are busy loading crates, sacks and various goods onto the large ship, the Saucy Sue, which we can see moored at the back of the stage.

Captain Bilge and Swab the Mate are downstage ticking items off on a large clipboard as they are loaded aboard.

SONG SEVEN – COMPANY

At the end of the song, Fitzwarren, Alice, Sarah and Jack enter. They approach the Captain.

FITZ Ah Captain. Here we are then, here we are. All shipshape and ready to sail.

CAPTAIN Yes, well I’ll be the judge of that. You’re late. We’ve missed the noon tide now so we’ll have to wait until tonight.

SARAH Lots of time to settle in then. Now, if you could show me to my room?

MATE Cabin.

SARAH As I was saying. If you could show me to my room, I’ll just have a little nap before we set sail so I’d like to make my bed up.

MATE Bunk up.

SARAH I beg your pardon?

MATE Make my bunk up. It’s called a bunk, not a bed.

SARAH Right well, same thing. So, where is it?

CAPTAIN Where’s what?

SARAH Blimey. Alright, I’ll keep it simple. Please can you show me to my cabin so that I can make my bunk up so that I can have a little sleepy poo before dinner?

CAPTAIN ‘Fraid not.

SARAH What? Why not?

CAPTAIN Because the Alderman here wanted to economise you see, so you’re travelling working class.

JACK (Looking alarmed) Working class? What’s that?

CAPTAIN Just what it says, sonny. We provide the transport and the food, you work for your keep.

JACK Work?

CAPT/MATE Work!

JACK What sort of work?

CAPTAIN Well she (gesturing at Sarah) is going to cook, he (Fitzwarren) can keep the Captain’s log, she (Alice) can wait at table and you (Jack) can swab the decks.

SARAH, JACK

ALICE, FITZ What?

JACK I’m off!

Jack tries to run off but his escape is blocked by two burly sailors.

CAPTAIN It’s that, or no passage.

SARAH Oh for goodness sake. Come on, let’s go home.

FITZ No, no, we need to make this voyage. We need to find new products for the shop. That’s all people want these days; exotic fruit, out of season vegetables, new things. We have to get on the ship. Look Captain, I’m sure that we can come to some arrangement.

CAPTAIN Yes we can. A financial one.

FITZ Ah well, I had something more, well, less …..

CAPTAIN You want to go first class, you pay. You don’t want to pay, you work.

Fitzwarren, Sarah, Alice and Jack crowd round him and begin to argue. They move down right and as they do so, Dick and Tommy enter.

DICK Well there’s the ship. How on earth are we going to get aboard? There are so many people.

TOMMY Leave it to me. Come on, this way.

They creep upstage and exit out of sight. As they do so, the argument increases in volume.

CAPTAIN No! No money, no cabin!

FITZ But I don’t have any money to give you. Since that pesky boy stole the day’s takings, I just don’t have any.

ALICE Look, Captain, we’ll work, I promise. But we do need cabins to sleep in. We’re not sailors and we’re not used to life on board a ship.

SARAH I don’t mind sharing. I could bunk up with you, Captain.

CAPTAIN Yes, well under the circumstances perhaps we could fit you in. Swab, show them aboard and find them cabins.

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The script for Dick Whitington by Ruth Summerfield

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