All New Adventures of Peter Pan, York Theatre Royal, December 2022

The Hatter family loved Cinderella last year and we applauded the theatre for bringing something fresh and new to York, even dubbing it the best we’d seen in many a year! With expectations soaring, we set sail for this year’s festive offering by Evolution Productions….

As the name suggests, the All New Adventures of Peter Pan is not the beloved tale of the boy who never grew up. Yes there are similarities, but the creative team go to great lengths to make the show different – from renamed characters, subverted roles and plot tweaks aplenty.

Motley Crew

Jason Battersby takes on the title role of Peter Pan. He flies and tumbles through the air with ease, and acts and sings well too. From Now On and Take That hit Rule the World are both highlights. Elsewhere, Revolting Children and Proud Mary are the real crowd-pleasers!

Robin Simpson dons the frocks n’ wigs again, this time as Mrs Smee….more maritime than Manky. He’s a credit to the show – and to the world of panto – and it’s our magic wish that he returns year on year. He could quickly become the new dame in town!

Paul Hawkyard’s Captain Hook strikes a balance between being menacing but not entirely ba-ba-bad to the bone (Cinderella 2022 reference!) A self-confessed fan of the boos, he relishes every moment. His mop-swinging song solo is a clean sweep of entertainment, featuring strong vocals and a rocking guitar riff. He really had a handle on it (sorry, not sorry!)

Faye Campbell also returns to York, switching Cinder’s rags for Lizzie Darling’s PJs. Bubbly and likeable, she connects with the audience quickly and has that childlike enthusiasm and wonder that is hard to fake. Another strong vocalist too, especially in duets with Pan.

BAFTA award-winning Maddie Moate is the CBeebies link for this year, and is a triumph of casting. A perfect Tinkerbell, she looks the part and, crucially, plays the feisty fairy to a tee. As with Andy Day last year, her presence as a TV star doesn’t dominate the show. Oh and she rocks those funky glittered Converse! Do You Know who might fill the spot next year? Mr Tumble? Mr Bloom? Time will tell!

Jonny Weldon as Starkey adds even more comedy, with plenty of jokes and all the daft silliness you’d expect from the role. He quickly became a firm favourite with our two boys.

Special mention must go to acrobatic troupe The Black Diamonds who come on leaps and bounds (literally) and add a similar circus element to last year’s aerial hoop act. A limbo act sets the bar very low…and no that’s not a criticism!

Barrel of Laughs

Gags fly fast, and the show packs in more puns than you can shake a hook at. To reveal any here would spoil the fun, but a fish-based routine is pure nautical nonsense! Yes, not every gag hits – something I can relate to in my own shows – but some really stand out, and extra fun comes from gags occasionally flopping like a…well…wet fish.

From slapstick comedy and boat-based shenanigans, to gently teasing an audience member, it’s easy to find your happy thoughts in this production.

Flagging Things Up

At 2 hours and 30 minutes with an interval, this is a long panto for little landlubbers. It could perhaps benefit from a few swings of a cutlass here and there, a few minor chops and edits. Like a well-dressed crocodile, it would make the pace more…snappy. I imagine this will come later (alligator) as the run progresses, and the cast sink their teeth into the material.

The show felt like it got off to a slow start; introducing the characters and having to highlight differences to JM Barrie’s story all took time. It wasn’t the punchy opening we expected, but once it got going…boy did it fly!

Highlights for our young swashbucklers (6 and 9) include the dazzling special effects, the fish jokes and a wondrous projected sequence. In short, they were hooked. And that’s no surprise…this production is, after all, ship-shape!

As with last year, it’s refreshing to see another panto with an engaging plot, no egos and no smut. If you’ve been treading water with the same old shows for years, give York Theatre Royal a try. Expect plenty of flying, sumptuous sets, slick choreography and more than a sprinkling of theatrical magic.

The All New Adventures of Peter Pan flies the flag for family entertainment. Yo ho…and a bottle of FUN!

MAGIC RATING