Peter Pan (Mary Stevens Hospice)

This is the fourth review I've written for these productions, providing much needed funds for Mary Stevens Hospice an amazing charity providing vital services for those with incurable or life-limiting illnesses and every year they seem to surpass themselves on so many levels.

This year we were taken off to Neverland by Peter Pan, you know the lad who never wants to grow-up (don't we all !) and played by local dynamo Charlie Bullock, bit of an all round stage star and obviously destined for success in the professional arts, pitted-up against star of X Factor and obviously more than just a stellar voice, Christopher Maloney as the nasty Captain Hook (somebody find me a crocodile).

Talking of crocodiles and for that matter dogs as well, a big shout out for Ryan Standen as both the aforementioned reptilian and canine companion to the Darling Family, Nana. It was warm in the auditorium, I dread to think the temperature inside those costumes and how many pounds he must be losing across multiple performances.

It is of course the Darling children that Peter takes via the second star to the right and straight on until morning to Neverland although I am sure it is really only Wendy that he is interested in, sadly from her perspective only as a mother and not as a girlfriend, however it may also be due to Katie Bickle's incredible vocals, her performance of Diana Ross's 'When You Tell Me That You Love Me' is worthy of a contract with Motown in its own right. If there is a love interest, not that that sort of thing is encouraged in Neverland it is probably the feisty Tiger Lilly played by Ella Fisher and adding further to the vocal prowess of this cast, particularly with a banging performance of the most popular song across Panto this year, Jennifer Lopez's 'Let's Get Loud'. 

Any relationship between Peter and Wendy is somewhat to the disgust of his fairy companion Tinkerbell, played with belligerent charm by Freya Lynn Butlin, if you've never met a fairy you've obviously never been to the bottom of your garden and seen them playing in the twilight, whatever the case they are very small and slight which makes it somewhat incomprehensible that a vocal of such power should come from this one and fill the venue but, it did and it was outstanding.

Let me not forget the other Darling children, Ethan Hamblett as a forthright and enthusiastic John (another great vocal even if only for a short spell in the finale) and at this performance I believe, Jackson Fryer as a lively and eager Michael.

Let's talk comedy now and one of the driving forces behind these productions acting both as Director and in the role of Smee is the effervescent Will Phipps, if anybody was made to play in Panto it is this guy and his partnership with Wally Wombat as Mrs Smee (that's his mother, not his wife !) is simply sublime entertainment value beyond compare (as an avid fan of Abbott & Costello, their performance of the 'Who's on First' sketch is probably only surpassed by the original). 

Adding to the shenanigans are Hook's other motley pirates, Saucy Sally, a performance almost meaner than Hook himself from Karen Bayley, the rubber-legged Rum played with unbelievable energy by Luke Crawford and foil to many of the jokes Coke, played by Matt Dudley.

Have the feeling I have missed something and it'll take a bit of magic to remember, there is of course only one character it can be and that is the Magical Mermaid, played with warmth and proving that her appearances on Googlebox are not the only thing that makes her an audience pleaser by Sandi Bogle.

I can't finish without a mention for the Dancers, choreographed excellently by James Totney and some exemplary music from Rob Murray and his orchestra. All in all you couldn't ask for a better night of family fun, so what are you waiting for, book a ticket now before you miss this one.

Book Here