A year on, and one of our absolute favourite days of the years finally arrived… Panto day!!!
We are fortunate to have been working with KD Theatre Productions for a number of a years on their shows and every single one of them has lived long in the memory for every positive reason possible. Their attention to detail is fantastic and the kindness and warmth of their cast and crew is unparralled in such circles.
Dick Whittington really was exceptional. The perfect blend of music, dance and storytelling, fabulously wrapped in humour to appeal to any age group.
The characters came to life with ease and were beautifully adorned by the creations of Curtis Ferris, then effortlessly compliemented with a fantastic range of stage, lighting, music and sound effects by the KD Crew. On stage we followed the journey of Dick Whittington (Aaron Carr) and Tommy the Cat (David McNair) as they ventured to London. With Sarah Sweet Tooth (Terry Gauci), Alice (Lucy Bell), and Captain Crispin Crunchie (Terry Burns) alongside them, they defeated all the efforts of the wicked Queen Rat (Gregory Hazel) to ruin their lives, with the assistance of the Echantress of the Thames (Lucinda Withers). The chants of “Oi Oi… Saveloy” and “Leave Sarah’s Snickers Alone” will definitely resound for a little longer yet, and the superb performances and stage chemistry we saw before us, for even longer.
A fantastic story was told from beginning to end with the exceptional dancing skills of Ashley Wallis, Cloe Hastings, Stephen Lennox and Esmee Whitfield being witnessed from scene to scene. The family feel continued to be delivered with KD’s own Academy making up the junior ensemble to a deserved loud round of applause. It was truly fitting that the show fell when one of Spectrum’s own was on the stage in the form of Ellie Shepherd, which was a heart warming pleasure to see and gained a very loud audience response when she took her bow!
We cannot express our thanks enough to all the KD cast and crew for a sensational delivery, brilliantly organised as always by the talented Daniel Bell and Katherine Hickmott, with inclusion for all at the core of what they do.
Every year we have no idea how they manage to reach the heights of the previous year but each year we are stunned further. We simply cannot wait to see Sleeping Beauty arrive next panto season, the date is firmly in the diary and the countdown begins. Take a bow KD Theatre.
Spectrum is a multi-award winning, parent-led charity, providing events and support for families of children with Autism, additional needs, learning difficulties and disabilities. We are family-focused, passionate about inclusion and supporting Special Education Needs & Disabilities (SEND).
