PETER PAN. To 20 January.
Nottingham
PETER PAN.
Theatre Royal To 20 January 2008.
Mon-Sun various dates 1.30pm, 2pm, 5.30pm, 7.15pm no performance 17, 25 Dec, 1, 7, 14 Jan.
Audio-described 2pm 6, 7.15pm 11 Jan.
BSL Signed 2pm 13, 1.30pm 16, 7.15pm 18 Jan.
Runs 2hr 35min One interval.
TICKETS: 0115 989 5555.
www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk
Review: Alan Geary: 8 December 2007.
Comedy, glamour, song-and-dance and spectacle– it’s a wonderful show for all ages.
Actually an Edwardian play, Peter Pan sits awkwardly in pantomime format. What with the lost children and ambiguous Peter-Wendy relationship - he wants a mother; she’s beginning to think boyfriend - it has deep undertones; there’s no Dame and no particular scope for local and topical references.
Even if you’re in the front stalls - sweet-catching territory - there’s no obvious occasion for the throwing of sweets. And no reason for a messy slapstick routine.
There’s an Edwardian feel to this production - that Can-Can music is used for a sharp bit of song and dance - but PC-wise it’s tidied up; the glamorous Neverland Indians are called Cherokees.
The first half is sometimes a trifle slow and wordy. Some of the cracking dialogue is outside the ken of the tinies, and, these days regrettably, some adults. But after the break it’s brilliantly comic and visually interesting. Acrobatics from the Acroloons are super, particularly in a rollicking routine done to lots of traditional English music: Rule Britannia, Colonel Bogey, etc. And the flying is beautifully executed; at the end Peter (a street-wise Debra Stephenson) soars through, and over, the auditorium.
John Challis is a good actor. His Captain Hook has some of the best lines as well as terrific rapport with his audience: “You just can’t give up the boos,” he tells them. And when Bill Jukes (Richard Earl), the dimmest of his crew, says “I’m at me wit’s end” he replies “That must have been a short journey”. Mrs Darling (Alison Thea-Skot, also playing Tiger Lily) is beautifully acted, with authoritative speaking and singing voice.
Right from the start, when the Darling household domestics do their stuff, it’s clear this show’s going to be strong on song and dance, and so it turns out.
Smee (an effortlessly funny Paul Gabriel), Starkey (Stuart Crossman, another good actor) and Bill Jukes sparkle singly and collectively in a clutch of routines. When the three of them do a bluesy rendering of 'I’m Evil' with Captain Hook it, rightly, stops the show.
The crocodile is amazingly realistic and Tinker Bell is beautifully done.
Mrs Darling/Tiger Lily: Alison Thea-Skot.
Liza/Barnacle Babs: Debbie Leigh-Simmons.
Wendy: Catriana Sandison.
John: Adriano Corgiolu/Dominic Coyne.
Michael: Alex Deacon/Thomas Owen.
Nana: Samir Durrani.
Captain Hook/Mr Darling: John Challis.
Tinker Bell: Herself.
Peter Pan: Debra Stephenson.
Tootles: Alex Leverton/Olly McCauley.
Slightly: Ally Rooms/Finn Shearwood.
Nibs: Joe Lavender/Dominic Bowler.
Curley: Toby Burns/Harry Mead.
Tiptoes: Sam Beardsley/Harry Hindley.
Boo: Tyler Harrison/Josh Elizaga.
First Twin: Daniel Morpeth/Jack Hadfield.
Second Twin: Dominic Habgood/Tom Liwoshko.
Gentleman Starkey: Stuart Crossman.
Bill Jukes: Richard Earl.
Smee: Paul Gabriel.
The Acroloons: David McDuff, Richard Morgan, Samir Durrani and Adam Smith.
Pirates/Cherokees/Maids/Valets: Alex Taylor, Ashley Birchall, Lisa Dahmane, Sophie Jade Gilbert, Jo Schofield and Shona Williams.
Director: Nicholas Pegg.
Designer: Ian Wilson.
Lighting: Graham McClusky.
Sound: Oliver Wade.
Musical Director: Simon Townley.
Choreographer: Chadd Garvie.
Fight director: Karl Magee.
2007-12-11 10:08:19