The Withycombe Raleigh Pantomime

From the collection of

The Box
Established in 1992, the South West Film & Television Archive collection spans from 1893 to the present day containing more than 250,000 items. Formed from a variety of depositors, including broadcast news and programmes material from the Westward and TSW archive. In 2018 the archive collection transferred to The Box in Plymouth.

The Withycombe Raleigh Pantomime


Angela Rippon reports on the Women's Institute's pantomime

TV's Angela Rippon interviews Doris Hurd who is directing members of the local Women's Institute (WI) in the pantomime Dick Withycombe to be staged at Withycombe Raleigh near Exmouth. The play based on Dick Whittington is in full rehearsal. Angela Rippon started her career at Westward Television before moving to become the first female journalist to present the BBC national television news full time.

Dick Whittington tells the fictional story behind a true character, Richard Whittington and how he overcomes childhood poverty to become the mayor of London four times with the aid of his trusty cat. In fact Richard Whittington was actually thought to be a medieval cloth merchant and second son of a Gloucester Lord who in the 14th century travels to London to ply his trade in the wool industry.


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