Peter Pan

This is a well loved tale known to millions through the book, play, and Disney cartoon. This stage presentation was a new version of the story which stayed true to the plot, but introduced panto elements to the show. For example, there was a panto Dame and “she” turned out to be Tiger Lily, the Red Indian Chief’s daughter! Once one got used to this “strange” turn in the tale, you could enjoy the panto larking around by Dame Tiger Lily, gustily played by Thomas Richmond. Obviously, we still had the story’s true villain – the evil, nasty, (and loveable!) swaggering Captain Hook – brought to us by an over-the-top Raymond Wood, quietly planning his many evil schemes. But, the leading man is Peter Pan, brilliantly brought to the stage in a boastful and strutting manner by Kieran Bole making a young and striking Peter Pan. His Wendy was played in a delightful manner by Fiona McRobbie, but she had an adversary in the shape of Tinkerbell (Ellen Ryder) making a very jealous fairy! These three principal players were literally flying high in their roles because their flying scene was truly spectacular on stage. The film sequence when the Darling boys John (Ross Brownlow) and Michael (Louis McGregor) joined Peter, Tinkerbell, and Wendy, plus Nana the talking dog (Lucy Reilly), leaving behind a distraught Mr and Mrs Darling (Douglas Lamont and Carla Barbour), had them flying all over London, over the River Forth and Bridges northwards towards Dundee where a thirsty Nana visited a popular Dundee pub for a drink (!) and then on to Neverland! All great escapism! Then we encountered Lost Boys, friendly Red Indians, swashbuckling Pirates, and Mermaids from the lagoon, all of which was beautifully brought to the stage in a colourful manner. The nasty Pirate crew were a motley bunch consisting of orderly Smee (Ewan Cassidy); a flamboyant Starkey (Rob McLean), to name but a few. When the famous moment came – to save Tinkerbell’s life after the dastardly Hook had poisoned her by mistake, we had to yell “I believe” as loud as we could – all good panto stuff this!  The show’s Finale ended happily on the rooftops of London, with snow falling all around, as the large cast brought this show to a great climax. We had all joined Peter for an evening where dreams are born!

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