Peter Pan

Peter’s adventures in Neverland were tremendous fun from start to finish with larger than life characters who all had great rapport with their audience.  Michelle Weston played the part of Peter Pan the Boy Who Never Grew Up, with confident charm and impressed with her swash buckling sword fight.  Jennifer Brisbane gave us capable and mothering Wendy well used to organising her brothers Michael and John, Lucas Laing and Henry Miller, who were suitably awestruck by their adventure into Neverland. Chloe Kennedy sparkled as Tinkerbell.  Fun and laughter rained down with the Dame Mrs Smee and her husband Smee played with glee and with experienced ease by Derek Easton and Stewart Borthwick. Smee’s cheeky comments delighted and Mrs Smee was wonderfully brash and domineering. Mrs Smee’s costumes were gobsmacking, especially those very difficult- to-wear tall wigs. Their scene with the big exercise balls was a highlight in fun as was their slapstick in the galley with the exploding icing. In contrast Daniel Baillie was the Captain Hook the kids loved to boo for he was so provocatively wicked, continually threatening the dreaded Plank. They loved when the hungry, realistic crocodile gobbled him up. He was backed up – or let down-by his likeable and error strewn sidekicks Mullins and Noodler, namely Lucy Andrew and Tracy Allan, with their humorous buffoonery.  John Coe portrayed an excitable victim in Panther while Claire Wilson as Tiger Lily was a robust opponent to Captain Hook. And what’s a panto without a fairy? Cue a brief but telling appearance of Dale Henry as the lovely Cristal Ball. The suitably costumed Pirates and the Lost Boys sung with gusto and moved in slick routines. The scenery contributed to the atmosphere and the jungle and galley cloths were fresh and beautifully illustrated. Other highlights earning appreciation were: the transportation scene from bedroom to Neverland done with fluorescence which drew well-earned applause; the hunt for Peter’s shadow; the Bill and Ben flower pots and the singing of The Pirate King. There was something for everyone here-all the ingredients of a fun-filled and crackling panto.

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