Nouse.co.uk » Peter Pan

Peter Pan

January 20, 2009
Sarah-Jane Silvester

Production: Â Peter PanÂ

Venue: Â West Yorkshire PlayhouseÂ

Rating: ****

Rachel Kavanaugh’s musical adaptation of Barrie’s Peter Pan is billed as â€œthe winter delight for all the familyâ€. Swashbuckling swordfights, tightly choreographed dance sequences and acrobatic displays pepper this charming show. The audience, mostly families enthusiastically clad in full fancy dress, squealed with delight as Pan and Wendy flew through a star-filled sky and when the ferocious Mr Croc waddled onto stage in an impressive three-manned costume.

The set, resembling a half-pipe at a skate park, was perfect for the fight scenes and cleverly rotated upon change of scene. A small pit orchestra delightfully lead the Disney-style voices of the cast of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company smoothly through the score.

Interestingly, Tinkerbell was not cast with a live actor but instead a series of laser lights was used to show her dipping and swooping across the stage.Â

Unfortunately James Gillan, with his strong Scottish accent was more annoying then charming, playing a decidedly arrogant Peter most strongly felt in his solo ‘The Cleverness of Me’.

Aimed at a family audience, perhaps this is not the student choice, but should you fancy escaping into a land where you never have to grow up, take advantage of the half price tickets for mid-week performances for bookings of more than five people.