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  1. Panto Review - Dick Whittington at the Weymouth Pavilion

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    Going to see a pantomime around Christmas time has become one of our most favourite family traditions and yet again the Weymouth Panto didn’t disappoint.

    Dick Whittington is everything a panto should be with a talented cast, glitzy and outrageous costumes, toe-tapping songs, audience participation and side splitting gags. 

    The rags to riches story starts in London Town where we meet Dick and learn all about the infestation of giant rats.  Alice and her Dad have also recently travelled to London and with Dick’s new friend, Alan the cat, they hatch a plan to rid the infestation.  Of course every panto has to have a baddie and the evil Queen Rat does her very best to ruin everyone’s plans whilst the lovely Fairy is one step ahead.  The story takes them on a big adventure full of songs, jokes and dancing before the good guys save the day and live happily ever after.

    This years Dame is played by Chay Aton and he does a brilliant job as Sarah the Cook.  He had us all in stitches throughout the show and wore the most bonkers costumes I’ve seen to date including a bikini costume and a tub of popcorn!  We were thrilled to see that Gwynfren West was back for another year and this time he was playing Idle Jack.  Gwynfren rarely needs to say anything and he has us laughing already and the scenes with him and Sarah the Cook will have you in hysterics.  

    I find it very difficult to write about a show like this as I want to mention all the funny scenes but surely it ruins it for the reader?  One of the things I enjoy the most is not knowing what will happen next but I will say that my favourite scenes involved pudding, a wonky galley and a difficult translation between the Scottish and Welsh actors.

    I'd thoroughly recommend you take the family as it’s hilariously funny, hugely entertaining and fabulously festive.  After the show I asked my 6 year old son what he thought of it and he said it was the best one he’d seen.  

    Dick Whittington is on at the Weymouth Pavilion until Saturday 5 January 2019.  For dates and times including the grown ups only night and a muck up matinee, please visit the Weymouth Pavilion.

    Dick Whittington press 4

  2. Festive shopping and Afternoon Tea at Haskins Garden Centre

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    I really do LOVE a Christmas shop and Haskins in Ferndown definitely has one of the best around.  I take the children every year to look at the decorations and although I want to buy pretty much everything I see I normally let the kiddies choose one small thing each to take home. 
     
    Haskins Afternoon Tea 25
     
    Everywhere you look feels festive and we always spend ages looking at the trees with lights and little light up automated scenes with ice rinks, trains, cosy houses and Santa’s toy factory.
     
    Befunky Haskins Christmas 1

    We had pre booked Afternoon Tea to make a big occasion of it and my tummy couldn’t of been happier.  Our table was beautifully laid in the restaurant with a pretty China tea set and after ordering English Breakfast tea we were presented with a wonderful 3 tier cake stand full of treats.  It was a real feast for the eyes and I had to beat the kids away from the cakes with a promise that if they ate some sandwiches first then they’d be able to tuck in to the sweet stuff after.  There was a variety of sandwiches all lovingly made which included salmon and cucumber and egg mayonnaise, all very tasty and packed with generous fillings. 
     
    Haskins Afternoon Tea 16

    If you love fresh cream then you’ll be in heaven as there was lashings of it on the cakes.  I’d like to say that I didn’t eat much of the cake but I’d be lying and between me and the children we devoured homemade chocolate profiteroles, meringues and mini Victoria sponges.  Of course no cream tea would be complete without the scone and theirs were just perfect with a generous topping of Tiptree jam and Roddas clotted cream. 
     
    Haskins Afternoon Tea 17
     
    Haskins Afternoon Tea 18

    Everything was washed down with several cups of tea and then we went outdoors to the play frame so the kids could burn off some energy while I sat in the Winter sun surrounded by outdoor plants and ornaments.

    When I managed to get them back in we found a festive selfie chair complete with silly props which the kids enjoyed going through while I got some funny pictures.
     
    Haskins Afternoon Tea 8

    We ended up being there for hours and I could tell that my little one was getting tired so we agreed on a couple of pretty tree decorations and some nice Christmas presents and made our way to the tills before something got broken.
     
    Haskins Afternoon Tea 4
     
    Our trip which included Afternoon Tea got the big thumbs up from myself and the kids and having been many other times for just tea and cake I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

    For more information on Afternoon Teas, please visit the Haskins Website.
     
    Good to know…….  

    Haskins require bookings for Afternoon Tea to be made 24 hours in advance. 

    Cakes and sandwich fillings may change with the season.

    A selection of teas are available or Costa coffee if you would prefer.

    There are plenty of highchairs in the restaurant and baby change facilities.

    Haskins has plenty of free parking.
     
     
    Haskins Afternoon Tea 15
     
    Dorsetmums was gifted Afternoon Tea for the purpose of a review however all words and calories consumed are my own.