A fantastically fun treat for all the family – with a new adventure, new friends, and old foes…
Wendy has returned to Neverland to help Peter Pan after the pixie dust waterfall has dried up and left Peter without the ability to fly. Alongside old pal Tink and ex-pirates Mrs McSmee and her son Smee McSmee, Peter and Wendy set off to save Neverland, but Peter’s old enemy Captain Hook has a nefarious plan up his frilly sleeve.
Returning to the Festival Theatre for the second year while their usual home of The Kings undergoes renovations, Crossroads Pantomimes produces another hit! From the very beginning the show stuns with gorgeous visuals and an impressive set: grand pirate ships, mermaid lagoons, real flying fairies, and even a giant snapping crocodile looming into the audience (the croc’s jaw was not the only one dropped!)
Though, for a show called The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, there is very little of Peter Pan to be seen. In fact, the rest of Peter’s gang play a bigger part in the plot and have much more stage time. However, this creates a fun new version of the classic Neverland story, and they even hilariously allude to Peter’s irrelevance in the show itself with jokes about young actor Kieran Lynch missing from the poster.
The production is very much The Grant Stott and Allan Stewart Show, but this is no complaint – with their comedic command of the stage that few Dame-Villain duos tend to have together, and with a combined total of over 60 pantomime appearances under their belts, it is completely understandable why Captain Hook (Stott) and Mrs McSmee (Stewart) carry the majority of the show on their befeathered shoulders.
Of course a staple of any pantomime is audience participation and this one is no different – Stewart and Stott are kings at keeping the audience on their toes, especially the front row who are treated to surprise questionings and turkey-baster splashes. Stewart even brings four children up onstage for a cute and cautious rendition of ‘One Smart Fella, He Felt Smart’. Though these two know their way around a panto audience, there is no doubt in who has the audience wrapped around his little finger as bumbling ex-pirate Smee. Jordan Young, of River City fame, steals the spotlight and the hearts of all audience members; from the smallest of wee ones to the tipsy-est of grandmas. Some of the in-jokes between the regular cast and audience members can be a bit lost on non-locals and newcomers to the scene, but the references to the previous year’s panto, Stott’s football team and radio show, and Young’s TV career get such a giggle out of those in the know that it makes it worth it.
The choice to have dance troupe Flawless as Hook’s hip-hop pirate crew is a fantastic move – their impressive dance breaks are as entertaining as they are intimidating, and made even better by their physical comedy in the background scenes. The rest of the ensemble cast are busy filling out the Neverland inhabitants – mermaids, lost boys, pirates… The budget and effort put into costumes alone is great to see, though it’s a shame they couldn’t find room in the budget for trousers for the female ensemble members. Unique costume designs for classic characters such as Tinkerbell (in blue rather than her classic green) and Wendy (who gets a colourful pirate makeover) made for some confusion amongst the younger children in the audience at first, but they were quickly won over with these funky new takes on the characters.
Speaking of Tink and Wendy – a highlight in the show is the display of ultimate girl power when Tink (Rebecca Stenhouse) and Wendy (Robyn Whyte) team up with Hook’s right-hand-woman Starkey (another Kings’ regular Clare Gray) to help save Neverland. This is a satisfying twist on the damsel in distress trope, and the power of the moment could be heard in the cheering of the hundreds of little girls in the audience as the trio of ladies sang about saving the day.
Taylors Snacks sponsor the production and on press night ‘baddie’ bags of their goodies were given to the audience participants and press, which was a fun bonus!
The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan gives us a fun unique twist on the classic story, with pantomime staples that will leave all members of the family full of happy thoughts!
Review by Amber Docherty