There’s always an agreeably warm, home-grown feel to panto at the Queen’s, Hornchurch, now in its 55th year of festive entertainment.
There are no listless blokes from the telly with one-and-a-half eyes on their January tax bills, but instead hard-working members of the year-round actor-musician ensemble.
Even more appealingly, catchy original songs by Carol Sloman — listen out particularly for The P‑P‑Perilous Sea — replace the customary reheated chart mush.
Nonetheless, sparkly sets and all the hearty thigh-slapping in the world from Lindsay Ashworth’s confident Dick can’t distract from the fact that Bob Carlton’s production lacks oomph.
Some of the elderly jokes, which fall flat too frequently, really should be drawing their pensions by now, and Sam Kordbacheh, as a sinuous Tommy the Cat, probably doesn’t rue his lack of lines.
Dick, until 10 January (01708 443 333, www.queens-theatre.co.uk).
Dick Whittington
Queen's Theatre
Billet Lane, RM11 1QT
