July 31st, 2017

Dick Whittington - December 2017 - The Plot

​This is a “rags to riches” story of Dick Whittington, a country lad coming to London with his cat Tommy, thinking that the streets will be paved with gold. He gets a job working for Alderman Fitzwarren who has an attractive daughter called Alice whom Dick immediately falls in love with. Captain Hauley and the mate of the ship “Messy Bessy” call on Fitzwarren to arrange a voyage to Morocco. Unfortunately, Dick is framed by the panto villain, evil King Rat who hypnotised Alderman Fitzwarren’s cook Sarah Sauce and Idle Jack into planting a necklace in Dicks bundle.  Dick is banished from London. Fortunately, Fairy Bowbells is on his side and she creates a dream as he sleeps on Highgate Hill. The dream tells Dick he will one day be Lord Mayor of London so he returns to clear his name.
 
In act two Dick returns to Alderman Fitzwarren’s shop, much to everyone’s surprise. King Rat’s hypnosis is wearing off and Sarah and Jack recall they had planted the necklace after all. They all set out on the “Messy Bessy” on a voyage to Morocco but the evil King Rat has also slipped on board. When approaching the shores of Morocco, King Rat summons up a terrible storm and the ship sinks. Everyone gets split up but they all manage to crawl ashore thinking they are the only one saved from the ship. They are captured by guards of the Sultan of Morocco and brought to his palace. Morocco has been subjected to a plague of rats and Dick promises the Sultan that he has the answer in his friend Tommy the cat. Tommy sets to work on the rats but eventually must tackle King Rat. With Dick’s help, he defeats King Rat and the Sultan rewards our heroes with a new ship and great riches. Everyone returns home, Dick marries Alice and is made Lord Mayor of London.