Phil Melia reviews Peter Pan

Peter Pan
by Stephen and Rachel Humphries
performed by Waterbeach Theatre Company
directed by Emma Bolton-Luckie

The Waterbeach Theatre Company production of "Peter Pan, A Pantomime", directed by Emma Bolton-Luckie and MD'd by Roisin O'Shea, brought together a large cast, including 14 children, many of whom I understand were newcomers to the group.

This was an interesting adaptation of Peter Pan as the scenes with the children felt more like a play and those with the adults had panto elements. As an audience member, this was slightly confusing but nevertheless, I thought the children all did well. Their enthusiasm and energy were infectious throughout the performance, particularly during the choreographed sequences. Well done to Katherine Maltby, giving the children choreo that they were able to execute well. I particularly enjoyed 'Eye of the Tiger'.

Special mention for the young actors playing Wendy (Graihagh Bolton), Michael (Zoe Darling) and John (Owen Tate). Graihagh, in particular, displayed remarkable confidence and carried her role with poise. A standout in the Lost Boys was Indie Bolton as Tootles.

Peter Pan, portrayed by one of the adult cast, Michelle Smith, was a dynamic leader of the Lost Boys, infusing the cast and audience with her vibrant energy. She was very good at breaking the 4th wall, bringing the audience on the panto journey and making a stage full of kids from the audience feel comfortable in the audience participation scene.

Captain Hook (Penny Clay) elicited the expected boos and hisses from the audience, though I thought her character could have been a little more evil. I really liked the change in the script to the usual side kick, bringing us the larger-than-life Miss Smee (Tina Seeley). Tina was great in this dame-like character, getting the audience to shout out 'missme' on all her exits and entering whenever 'a nice cuppa tea' was on the cards.

The audience's and my favourites were Line (Clare McDonald) and Sinker (Jade Bushell). They expertly engaged the crowd with impeccable timing, a nice dose of stupidity and infectious cheer.

The set design was simple yet effective, especially the multi-levelled wheeled flats that formed Captain Hook's boat and the similarly designed flats for the Darling bedroom. Scene changes in the light with stage crew coming on was a bit of distraction and could have been achieved with the cast, but it was on the whole effective for the stage and budget.

The musical numbers were a mix of backing tracks and live singing. Some of the song choices didn't quite seem to fit with the plot but were executed with enthusiasm nonetheless. A standout moment was "Somewhere Only We Know" which Olivia Nazarewicz's sang as Tinkerbell. This got the biggest applause of the night which was well deserved.

While the script may have lacked some traditional panto humour, both the adults and children delivered an entertaining evening. The audience's reactions were testament to their enjoyment, making it a successful production. Well done to all involved for a job well done.

Phil Melia
Regional Representative NODA East
District 4DS
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