There is something very satisfying, as you enter a theatre auditorium, when you can see that the theatre has pulled out all the stops to create something very special and, when you see the massively extended stage of the Assembly Hall Theatre, you know you’re in for a treat and, with this year’s pantomime Peter Pan, a treat is exactly what you get!
Everything about this traditional pantomime, produced by UK Productions, is done on a grand scale. The sets are huge, the scene changes are plentiful (and very slick) and the song and dance routines very lavish.
Holly Atterton, as roller skate wearing Tinkerbell, is the first to appear on stage and she introduces us to the story that is about to unfold. Holly plays this part perfectly, with just the right amount of attitude to make her unpleasant, but still likeable enough that, when we reach the latter stages of the story, the entire audience still care about what happens to her.
The Darling Family’s maid, Mrs Smeeton (who later morphs into Captain Hook’s sidekick Mrs Smee) is played by Quinn Patrick. His jokes are as old as the hills, but delivered in such a way that they still seem fresh enough to get both groans and laughs from the appreciative audience.
The pirate crew are played by acrobats from the “Nitwits” troupe Jack Robbins, Clinton Purnell and Andy Rothwell who, despite being involved for most of the show, only really show their true skill as performers in Act Two when they are joined by Lacy Jordinson and perform a wonderfully slapstick acrobatic tumbling routine.
Other notable performances come from Jenny Huxley-Golden as Wendy, Lacy Jordinson as Tiger Lily and from Sarah Jane Buckley, who shows off her great singing voice as the matronly and reserved Mrs Darling but then lets loose all of her comic skills as the Mermaid, Persil. She is obviously having the time of her life as a Mermaid, and her audience interaction is spot on.
Flying across the stage, like it is the most natural way to travel, is Lloyd Warbey as our hero, Peter Pan. The Art Attack TV presenter is now 35 years old and, to be very honest, it takes a massive suspension of disbelief to see him as the “boy who never grew up” but he works hard in the role and his enthusiasm is very infectious.
Captain Hook himself is played by Eastenders and Holby City’s Paul Bradley. He starts off as Mr Darling but soon dons the red coat and feathered hat of this, most dastardly, pirate. Hooks makes a huge X-Factor style entrance but soon comes back to earth as his attempts at humour are scripted to fail miserably (and they do!), so he relies on his mastery of the sword and his subservient crew on the stage, and his audience insults, to get the “boos” – which are plentiful from the very outset.
The cast also includes the characters of John, Michael and the Lost Boys (played by members of The Deborah Lamb Theatre School and All The Arts Theatre School), four female dancers who play the townsfolk and the Indian braves, Clinton Purnell as Nana the Dog and junior girl dancers from the Associates, who all work together really well and, considering that they have only been performing this show for a few days, already work perfectly as a team.
With it’s huge sets (including one with a working waterfall), wonderful musical numbers, some borrowed from musicals such as Wicked and some current chart hits, Peter Pan is a must see for this festive season.
**** Four Stars