
Although Richard Whittington actually lived and was a very rich and charitable man, you will be glad to know the pantomime story and most of the characters are made up!
Alderman Fitzwarren is the ‘Big Cheese of the town and owns the local shop. Sarah the Cook and her son Jack look after the shop and are generally ‘daft’ in a traditional panto fashion.
Dick is down on his luck, but he is given Tommy the Cat by the Good Fairy to keep him company, meets Alderman Fitzwarren’s daughter Alice and falls in love. Alice helps him get a job in her Daddy’s shop. He is accused of stealing the takings, (thanks to the ‘nasty’ King Rat), and so Dick is banished from the city and is sad.
But he decides to prove his innocence and he sneaks on board the Saucy Sally when it sails off with all the cast on board including two silly sailors, getting new stock for the shop. A shipwreck and rat infestation later, Dick is rewarded for getting rid of the rats by the Sultan and the Sultana (his current wife!). Dick marries Alice, Fitzwarren’s daughter on their return to England when he is made Mayor of London town.