As the classic rags-to-riches pantomime adventure, Dick Whittington is the purrfect place for teenage dancer Corben Heward-Mills to cut his teeth in a professional principal cast.
Made in Poole especially for Lighthouse audiences, with writer-director Chris Jarvis and production designer James Smith, the pantomime tells the time honoured story of a poor young man who goes in search of his fortune in London where he’s been told the streets are paved with gold. After many adventures he wins the hand of his true love and becomes Lord Mayor of London.
A year ago, A-level student Corben had just landed his first professional role – in the ensemble cast for Sleeping Beauty at Lighthouse. So impressive was his acrobatic dancing that Chris Jarvis contacted him about playing Tommy the Cat in Dick Whittington this year.
And now, aged 18 and with his A-levels behind him, Corben is studying at Laine Theatre Arts and making his cast debut in a professional production.
“I had no idea any of this was going to happen,” he says. “I thought I’d finish my last year at school and just go straight to uni.
“I didn’t even plan for panto last year. When it came up, I thought I might audition and a lot of my friends said I should go for it, so I did! And I got in. It was a total surprise, but it was fantastic. Everyone was so welcoming. It was such a thrill warming up together and just talking – good conversations; great lunches!
“The performance schedule is quite intense, but it’s so enjoyable because it’s Christmas time and everyone is enjoying themselves. The audiences are great… most of the time!”
Corben graduated from LeAF Studio school in Bournemouth having also trained with First Position Dance School and won a scholarship to Matthew Bourne’s Cygnet School talent development programme last year. It would be easy for a less disciplined performer to get carried away, but even though physically he’s trained to fly through the air, metaphorically his feet are firmly on the ground!
“The last couple of years have taught me you can never be sure what is going to happen,” he explains.
“Hopefully I’ll make it to the West End, but I’m going in with the mindset that whatever is offered to me is going to be the best thing for me at that moment. There are a few hopeful shows like Hamilton, or possibly like Dear Evan Hansen, something like that, that I’d love to be in, but I guess my real goal is to be happy in the job that I have, and I think dance is the best place for that.
“I feel the more experience I get there will lead to a bigger goal at the end of that so I’m not setting my mind to one thing as that could lead to disappointment.”
But what of Tommy the Cat? Has he had to do any special preparation for the role?
“I’ve not seen Dick Whittington before, but I know the cat is a big part of the story. Have I practiced being a cat? Well, maybe in my dreams! It will be very physical, I know that much.”
Appearing as Tommy the Cat alongside CBeebies favourite Chris Jarvis as Dame Dolly Doughnuts and Poole-born, Bournemouth-bred West End star Bernadette Bangura as Fairy Bowbelles – not to mention Sarah-Louise Young, the baddie in Sleeping Beauty last year, who is back to play the villainous King Rat in Dick Whittington – it’s a dream job for Corben who grew up in Bournemouth and can be sure of plenty of support from family and friends in the audience.
“I loved panto last year because I love having a busy schedule, so it was great waking up at 7am, getting ready, coming here, doing a show, coming home, dinner, another show. My family all came to see me, which was really, really good. I have family In America, and I hope they can come over this year as they didn’t make it last year. I got as many pictures as I could and sent them all of those. They were really happy.
“I love making people happy, that’s my favourite thing, and panto is the best place for that. I think so. If you hear a good reaction from the audience, you know you’ve done a good show, instantly.”
:: Dick Whittington is sponsored by National Express and Raymond James and can be seen at Lighthouse Poole from Thursday 11 December until Sunday 4 January. Tickets available at https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/dick-whittington/ or on 01202 280000.
(NC)