Peter Pan – Review – Halifax Victoria Theatre
By Christine Goode, December 2024
“It’s Christmas!” And the great British tradition of pantomime is well underway across the UK. Last night, I had the pleasure of watching Peter Pan at The Victoria Theatre in Halifax.
The beloved age-old tale, tells the story of Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up. One evening, he accidentally flies into the Darling children’s bedroom while searching for his mischievous fairy friend, Tinker Bell. Wendy, John, and Michael plead with Peter to help them fly and take them to a magical place called Neverland. The children become firm friends with Peter and embark on exciting adventures with fairies, mermaids, and the villainous Captain Hook and his infamous pirate crew.
This is traditional panto at its best, featuring countless scenery changes, brightly coloured costumes, special effects, slapstick comedy, great songs, and a big (but not too scary) crocodile!
“First-class”
The scenery is eye-catching, and the stage is awash with colour throughout, appealing to the youngest audience members and captivating them from the start. In the first scene, we meet the Darling children and their dog, Nana. When Nana enters the stage, the entire audience lets out a loud and audible “Aww!” She is incredibly realistic, with a big waggy tail, leaving you wanting to see more of her as she bounds around on all fours, fussing over the children before settling down to sleep.
Enter Peter Pan, played by Kieran Morris, who delivers an impressive performance. With his upbeat, carefree demeanour, he perfectly captures the Peter Pan we know and love. He flies around the stage while singing and even somersaulting, never missing a beat. The whole cast is strong, with standout performances from Wendy, played by Molly Jane; Hook, played by Andrew Pollard; and Tinker Bell, played by Lucy Hamilton-Dewhirst.
Of course, no panto is complete without a dame. Mrs Smee, also played by Andrew Pollard, is one of the best dames I’ve seen in years, leaving us in stitches every time he’s on stage. The ensemble cast, both seniors and juniors, give a first-class performance, demonstrating an excellent triple-threat standard of acting, singing, and dancing.
“Wild”
The highlight of the show has to be the slapstick moment in the kitchen when Mrs Smee and Starkey, played by Nathan Morris, bake a cake. With foam flying, flour thrown everywhere, and water pistols at the ready, this old-school tradition is hysterical and had the children screaming with delight.
True to the story, there is a crocodile – and it’s a huge one! It sends the audience wild as it slithers across the stage, chasing after Captain Hook before finally capturing him.
Overall, the show is excellent. With a start time slightly earlier than the usual evening performances, the family-friendly 6.30 pm slot allows young families to enjoy an evening out and still be home in time for bed. As we were leaving, we saw plenty of happy faces and heard families reliving their favourite moments – just one more reason why we love a good old panto!
Peter Pan runs is at Victoria Theatre, Halifax until 5 January 2025
