WE do things a little differently in Brighton, and panto is no exception, writes Joanne Mallon.
For the last few years, Brighton’s Theatre Royal has played host to a Christmas show, rather than a traditional pantomime.
And this year’s entertainment is a musical version of JM Barrie’s classic Peter Pan. Make no mistake, this is a quality production.
Though there are no household names in the cast, everyone involved has a high pedigree in musical theatre. So instead of some dodgy reality star struggling to hold a note, you get pitch perfect singing, dancing and acting. Peter Pan has something for everyone, with pirates, sword fights, mermaids and fairies and even a crocodile to chase the villain.
Granville Saxton’s Captain Hook is enough of a meanie to boo at, but not so much that he’ll scare the junior members of the audience.
Whilst this is very much a production in the classical tradition, it also makes use of modern day technology including animation and projections. You’ll really believe that the cast are flying over the rooftops. The set features a fantastic pirate ship and just the right amount of sparkling fairy dust. All the leads are terrific, and we particularly enjoyed pirate Starkey, played by Samuel Holmes with more than a nod to Kenneth Williams.
Well, if you can’t do camp pirates in Brighton, where can you?
My daughter and I also enjoyed the strong female characters including Tiger Lily played by Olivia Lucy Phillip.
We were impressed by the vibrant performances from even the youngest cast members who won us over with lines noting that “Mothers are notoriously clever”. Indeed they are.
Brighton’s Peter Pan is the perfect family Christmas outing. It’s a great introduction to the theatre for children, since so many of the elements of this 100 year old play will already be familiar to them. Songs include Disney favourites Following the Leader and Circle of Life.
And the final word goes to my nine year old co-reviewer, who says:
“I loved it. I loved the flying, the songs, the crocodile and Nana the dog. I didn’t want it to end”.
The next morning she was acting out chunks of the dialogue over breakfast. What a successful show. Our only criticism was that a lady with THE BIGGEST HAIR IN THE WORLD chose to sit in front of us.
But now that she's been and gone, the coast is clear for the rest of you, so go along and enjoy the show.
Peter Pan facts:
Peter Pan is showing at Brighton Theatre Royal from now until 3rd January, with shows most days in the afternoon and evenings. Ticket prices range from £15-£24, with a family ticket for 4 priced at £58. Concessions available. More information and tickets.
This post is part of the Have A Lovely Time 'Great British Panto' Review. Please consider a Christmas boost for a charity for children with cancer which does fantastic work but has very limited resources. You can do this by visiting our JustGiving page.
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