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Fiona Mountford's rating
Reader rating
Dir: Susie McKenna, Steven Edis (musical director), Carl Parris (choreographer).
Cast: Clive Rowe, David Ashley, Tameka Empson, Kat, Hannah Jane Fox
Description: London's Hackney Empire welcomes back Clive Rowe as The Dame, in Susie McKenna's new entertaining show for the Festive season.
Trains: BR: Hackney Central 
, Tube / Bus: Buses: 22/22a/30/35/38/55/106/236/253/277 
Phone: 0208985 2424
Website: www.hackneyempire.co.uk
Extra info: Pub
Centrepiece: Clive Rowe as Sarah the Cook sings, dances nimbly - and looks as though two shows a day until January is as good as it gets
Is it too early to declare the game over? Can a winner really be announced, and the prize chocolates hurled out, by 6 December? It's hard, though, to see anyone, not even Stephen Fry and his "posh panto" chums at the Old Vic, bettering this utterly delightful confection from writer/director Susie McKenna.
I would tweak just one thing. Panto needs above all to be crisp and swift, yet the first half, with its Lord of the Rings-esque false endings, trails into bagginess. Gandalf didn't seem to mind, however, as Sir Ian McKellen, on a rare night off from King Lear, chuckled loudly throughout. So heartily did he appreciate the singalong that he was on his feet, joining in the actions to the Cool Cat Chat.
No wonder, as the energy and enthusiasm here is deliciously infectious. It's a treat to hear a live band of five musicians strike up proudly, and it's even more of a boon that Clive Rowe is back once more as the Dame, as his Sarah the Cook is the centrepiece around which the rest of the banquet is laid. He sings, he dances surprisingly nimbly for a big man and, best of all, he looks as though two shows a day until 12 January is as good as it's ever going to get.
Each change of Rowe's successively more outrageous outfits has us squealing with pleasure, and how pleasing it is to see tradition maintained, with all costumes cut from ferociously synthetic fabrics. One carelessly stubbed cigarette and the entire London Borough of Hackney would be ablaze. The wonderful Tameka Empson, as kindly trainee Fairy Bowbells, is a particular vision of gold sparkliness right from the start when, in typically playful McKenna fashion, she flies on looking like Mary Poppins and singing the Rihanna song Umbrella.
There's too much left to praise: Hannah-Jane Fox's thigh-slapping Dick, a marvellously terrifying great ape that appears after the shipwreck on Monkey Island, Mike Denman's impressively agile Puss. McKenna, in short, knows the secret recipe for panto perfection. Oh yes she does.
• Until 12 January (020 8985 2424, www.hackneyempire.co.uk).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Now now naughty Suzie. "Posh panto chums" indeed! Do mean that once again there will be actors in this year's Old Vic panto - of course there will, as there are in Hackney's. Check out their credits. I first worked with the gorgeous Clive Rowe at the National Theatre - albeit in that ultra-posh pantomime "Peter Pan".
I entirely concur with your enthusiasm for Dick Whittington - but we should mention the original music and choices by the musical director Steven in the orchestra pit He also wrote the music for the RSC's current King Lear. You see how you can't make assumptions about poshness?
The highlight for me of this funny inventive panto was deadly serious and traditional - Dick's appeal to the audience to shout out their encouragement to King Rat to save idle Jack's life. It sounds ludicrous put like that but at Hackney last night, the action froze, the audience quietened and the beating heart of pantomime's traditional morality filled the house. Magic.
- Ian Mckellen, London
This panto should not be missed - it is a fantastic evening out! From 6 to 106 you will enjoy this great show - well done team at Hackney the best panto you have done yet!
- Mig, London
