CBeebies Panto 'Dick Whittington and His Cat' Review: A great choice for the whole family

I recently had the opportunity to watch a press screening of CBeebies' production of Dick Whittington and His Cat. Not sure I was qualified to review this title on my own, I invited my daughter and two young friends of the family to join me for the experience in hopes of getting a varied opinion on this star-packed pantomime.

In cinemas on selected dates throughout December, this pantomime was designed to be seen on a big screen. Not to let the press copy I had been provided down, we broke out the home cinema projector and were lucky enough to watch it on a screen about 130-inches in size - an attempt to reproduce the full cinematic experience! Armed with popcorn and sweets we were ready to go.

Dick Whittington and His Cat is a unique adaptation of the classic pantomime, directed by Chris Jarvis and written by Nathan Cockerill and starring a host of CBeebies stars. The production was recorded in front of a live audience at Eastbourne’s Congress Theatre, and promises to be a festive treat for the whole family.

The show follows the story of Dick Whittington and his cat, Lucky, as they travel to London for the Lord Mayor’s Christmas parade. Along the way, they come up against a trio of cheeky rats who are intent on ruining everyone’s fun and with the help of a host of magical London residents, they manage to save the parade and everyone comes together for a festive celebration.

One of the major drawbacks of this production I discovered is also likely to be its biggest draw for many others – the incorporation of CBeebies characters. If your children aren't regular viewers of the CBeebies channel, they are likely to find the show less enjoyable compared to those who watch CBeebies and consider the characters close friends already.

CBeebies' adaptation of Dick Whittington and His Cat is a charming, fun, and enjoyable production that the whole family can enjoy. The production is a great way to introduce children to the classic tale of Dick Whittington and His Cat in an entertaining, accessible format and would also be a great 'first visit' to the cinema where interaction is encouraged rather than frowned upon. Our two youngest guests enjoyed the music and bright, fun characters and my daughter thought it was enjoyed by everyone watching but just wished it was more interactive. Overall, we'd all say it's worth a visit to your local cinema, but only if you can't make it to a real-life pantomime!