Peter Pan

This was a lively, fast-paced, and genuinely fun Peter Pan pantomime from Preston Musical Comedy Society at the Preston Playhouse Theatre, with a strong sense of audience rapport throughout. The house was packed and delightfully noisy, as panto should be, with plenty of confident heckling and call-backs; all handled well by the company, who stayed in control while keeping the atmosphere playful.

Director Mark Howard delivered an energetic staging style that kept the storytelling moving and ensured the comedy landed cleanly, with strong use of a large ensemble to keep the stage pictures busy and entertaining. One thing that particularly stood out was the discipline and naturalism of the ensemble when action was happening downstage; background performers stayed alive and engaged without resorting to exaggerated mime. In amateur theatre it’s common to see the ensemble overplay background business, which can be very distracting; here it was the opposite, controlled, believable, and supportive of the focus, a marker of strong direction and good rehearsal standards.

Choreography from Gemma Burns and Hannah Riordan was well pitched for panto; it read clearly, kept energy high, and gave the dancers real moments to shine. A special mention here for the junior dancers from Carol May’s Academy, their featured section added something extra. They were talented, well-drilled, and brought brightness and sparkle to the stage.

Musical direction from Craig Smith, supported by the band, kept the momentum and helped the show feel slick. Panto can be a deceptively tricky show to musically direct, because timings shift with audience interaction and comedy, and you need to keep transitions, cues, and dance numbers running smoothly; Craig Smith handled this very well. The pacing felt secure, cues were clean, and the music consistently supported the action without ever slowing the show down. The band itself, though small, created a full and satisfying sound, and played with real professionalism throughout. Craig Smith on keys, Paul Sanderson on guitar, and Michael Mayor on bass delivered a tight, well-blended texture that supported singers without swallowing them.

Technically, this production was notably strong. Being fully amplified made a huge difference to clarity and confidence; it supported audience interaction, improved balance in musical numbers, and allowed performers to play comedy without pushing vocally. Sound was credited to Sam Robinson-Davies and Matthew Hughes, and the mix was consistently secure.

Lighting design was by Sam Robinson-Davies, with lighting operation by Lewis Hawksey, Eddie McKillop, Tom Schofield, and Sam Robinson-Davies; it supported the look well and helped transitions land smoothly. Stage management and crew work were strong, with Lucy Baines as Stage Manager, and stage crew Lisa Jolliffe, Alan Curzon, Laurabeth Curzon, James Moss, Lexi Smaje, Alex Kewley, Mark Kendall, and Oscar Metcalfe, delivering confident scene shifts that kept momentum up.

Two technical elements were real standouts. The flying, having Peter Pan, Daniel Rowland, take to the air convincingly is no small feat; it was achieved cleanly and theatrically, and it genuinely lifted the show. The digital backdrops were also outstanding quality, crisp, atmospheric, and far more than decorative; they created scale and made location changes feel effortless. There were few extra scenic elements, but what was used was of good quality and deployed effectively, with Lauren Twist credited for properties, supporting stage business and character detail without cluttering the stage.

Costume work was strong and added real production value, with wardrobe credited to Anne Arkwright, Ruth Phillips, and Lisa Jolliffe. Captain Hook, Neil McKnight, had a look that instantly read from the back of the auditorium, bold silhouette, strong detail, and exactly the right panto flourish. Tinker Bell, Kate Parkes, was especially well served visually; bright, magical, and popped beautifully against the digital scenery. Lady Starkey/Mrs Darling, Philip Tomlinson, was also superbly costumed in true panto style; the wigs and the more elaborate costume choices gave real character definition and comic impact, and he consistently stood out on stage. It was clear a lot of time and care had gone into these looks, and they added genuine production value every time he appeared. Special mention too for Nana the Dog, Crocodile and the Gorilla; the costumes were great, and the performers inside them, Hannah Ayres and Lucy Spencer, did a wonderful job creating character and comedy through movement alone, despite having no lines.

The supporting groups added real variety. The pirate ensemble, Hattie Pridmore, Dan Haresnape, and Glen Hanmer, properly panto in spirit, brought exactly the right mix of swashbuckling threat and comic incompetence; plenty of hearty bravado, well-timed reactions, and that essential sense that Hook’s crew are more bluster than bite, until the plot needs them to be menacing, of course.

The Lost Boys also deserve a mention; fun, energetic and properly “game” performers, they brought fizz to their scenes and contributed strongly to the overall pace and mischief, with Max Tidmarsh, Alfie Shaw, George Miller, Mark Wilson, Archie Grey and Joseph Kirkman.

The mermaids were a nice tonal shift; they sang beautifully, and their sequences gave the show a welcome moment of musical elegance amid the high-energy comedy, with Hannah Bates, JohnGordon Lane, Eleanor Jolliffe.

Chief Big Willie, Gemma Jones, was a solid panto presence too; confident with the audience, and well integrated into the production’s comic rhythm.

In the principal roles, there were clear performance highlights. Smee, Jack Price, delivered a standout comic performance; generous, sharply timed, and with a really engaging stage presence. He had that panto gift of being instantly readable to the audience, so every entrance landed, and you could feel the auditorium responding to him straight away; a character the crowd happily joins in with every time, and a performer who could hold the stage with ease.

Captain Hook/Mr Darling, Neil McKnight, brought strong authority and presence. As Hook he was a powerful stage picture, commanding the space the moment he arrived; as Mr Darling he shifted cleanly in status and tone without muddying the storytelling. What makes a really good panto baddie is not just being nasty, it’s the clarity, the confidence and the control, playing the threat boldly while inviting the audience to boo with delight; he personified that balance, big enough to feel dangerous in the story, but knowingly theatrical, with the timing and posture that makes a villain’s every look and pause do work.

Peter Pan, Daniel Rowland, was immediately likeable, with a warm, buoyant energy that suited the character’s mix of mischief and wonder, that sense of a child who is fearless, curious, and slightly cheeky, but never unkind. He also handled a genuine technical hitch with real professionalism; when a flying moment briefly went awry and he ended up flipped the wrong way, he carried on calmly and stayed in character, which kept the moment safe, smooth, and un-fussed for the audience. Overall, he captured what you want from Peter Pan in panto, a confident leader for the Lost Boys, a playful spark at the centre of the story, and a character the audience can root for from his first entrance.

Tiger Lily is often a tricky role in Peter Pan pantomime because she tends to appear in short, plot-driven bursts, so the performer has to make an impression quickly and clearly, and hold status on stage without a huge amount of time to build it. Madison Howells did that well. She brought an authority and stillness that contrasted nicely with the louder comedy around her.  Her intent was always clear, she committed fully to the action, and she gave Tiger Lily a protective, courageous quality that helped the Neverland world feel broader than just the pirates and the gags. 

Kate Parkes as Tinker Bell was a real asset to the production. She brought a bright, playful energy and a clear character presence, and her delivery was confident and well timed. Her reactions were well judged, her physical storytelling was crisp and readable from the auditorium, and she maintained that mischievous, slightly bossy spirit that makes the role land in panto. Visually she was also very well presented, and she popped beautifully against the digital scenery, helping the magic feel immediate whenever she appeared.

The Darling family scenes were a real strength, and the three children felt like a genuine unit rather than three separate performances. Wendy, Kate Grayson, John, Harry Bullough, and Michael, Oscar McNicholas, were clear, committed, and believable; there was great chemistry between them, with a natural rhythm in shared looks, reactions, and overlapping comic beats. Their dynamic helped the audience invest in the story quickly, and it made the Neverland adventure feel emotionally grounded, not just a run of gags and set-pieces.

A particular mention here for Mrs Darling/Lady Starkey, Philip Tomlinson, who brought a level of polish and comic intelligence that consistently lifted scenes; quick, assured, and very watchable, with strong clarity in both roles. As Lady Starkey in particular, he had that classic panto dame quality, fully committed to the silliness and the style, unafraid to play the joke big, but with control and precision. He leaned into the melodrama and the status with real relish, and he was consistently responsive in the moment; the kind of performer who catches the audience’s energy, rides it, and gives it back, without ever breaking the shape of the scene.

Front of house also deserves credit in a packed, high-energy panto environment; the welcome and organisation felt calm and capable, which makes a big difference to the overall audience experience.

The only small negative was that the overall running time felt a little long, particularly given how many young children were in the audience; by the end of Act Two it became increasingly difficult for parents to contain restless kids, which slightly affected the atmosphere in the closing stretch. A couple of trims to late Act Two dialogue or stage business would likely sharpen the final stretch even further.

Overall, a cracking panto with high entertainment value, strong comic leads, and an unusually impressive technical finish, particularly the flying and the superb digital backdrops, delivered by a company and crew working at a very high standard. Finally, many thanks to Preston Musical Comedy Society for their warm welcome and hospitality.

 

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