2 December – 31 December

Those of us who are easily entertained will be easily entertained by The Hippodrome’s Christmas offering. Most definitely Peter Pan the Panto and not the play, Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, this version by Alan McHugh stands on its own two feet with scant reference to J.M.Barrie’s original stage play. One disappointment I have to confess is not seeing David Suchet doubling as Mr Darling and Captain Hook. In fact the show starts with the Darling children waiting for Peter and Tinker Bell so there is no sense of the children’s comfy existence and no place for the gasps of wonder at Peter’s first appearance.

Another departure from tradition is not having a female Peter, instead we have a wonderfully spring-loaded, Hugo Rolland as the gravity defying, perennial boy. Young Mr Rolland does the part proud, filling his role with youthful, mischievous energy.

However, The Lost Boys all seem to be a lot older than Peter and look unlikely candidates for having been ‘lost’ by their parents having fallen out of their perambulators. And where was Peter’s chum, Tiger Lily? But as I say this show stands on its own two feet and the faint trace of the original is but an excuse for some variety performances around a familiar theme. That is, apart from the deliciously malevolent (with a glint in his eye) David Suchet who probably drinks rum for breakfast and makes people ‘walk the plank’ as a way of staving off boredom. Resilient against the waves of silliness that threaten to engulf his character he does manage to squeeze in a little bit of broad-stroke “depictin”, enough to rouse the audience into howls of disapprobation, not least when he plucks the wings from the perky, Tinker Bell (Carly Joan Furlong). One of the stand-out moments of the show, getting possibly the biggest round of applause, is when Captain Hook undergoes an onstage transformation. The audience were delighted.

Fans of Faye Tozer will not be disappointed; her contribution as Mimi the Mermaid is tailor made to let her singing and dancing talents shine.

In the same vein Ceri Dupree as Mrs Smee is given ample room for a very colourful drag act with some outrageous costume changes.

Keeping the show together is panto professional, Andy Ford, who as Smee takes no time in establishing a cheeky connection with the audience. He delivers his lines, panto style with odd little physical contortions, each sentence punctuated with a gesture of some sort. Gags come thick and fast with enough clowning to keep all ages entertained.

★★★★☆  Graham Wyles, 6 December 2023

Photo credit: Dawson Photography