Get prepared for a swashbuckling adventure full of faith, trust and pixie dust!
Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure is a 1999 musical based on the beloved J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. With a book by Willis Hall and music and lyrics by Anthony Drewe and George Stiles, the show has had many iterations worldwide. The story follows the Darling children as they are left alone for the night. As they fall asleep, a mischievous fairy, Tinkerbell, enters the room, soon followed by Peter Pan. Peter suggests Wendy Darling comes back with him to Neverland, alongside her brothers Michael and John. As they arrive in Neverland, they come across Peter’s nemesis: Captain J Hook. With a compelling story and new score, the production promises an adventure of a lifetime. The B&B Young People’s Theatre Group is a theatre group for young performers, offering young people the opportunity to explore performing arts. After watching their production of The Little Mermaid last year, we were eager to return!
The production is directed by Fay Bishop and Bethan Roscoe, musical direction by Bex George-Broom and choreographed by Cerys Roscoe. They’ve delivered a magical experience and should be proud of the show they’re created together: hopefully enjoying the process along the way. From the moment we stepped into the Players Theatre, the stage was transformed in the most magnificent way! This whole production felt very professional which was brilliant! The set is utilised to show both Neverland, as well as the Darling’s household. The additional leaves help to add atmosphere and agency on the stage, perfect for the show. There was a few microphone issues but these did not affect the overall enjoyment of the show. Similarly the twinkling lights in the background helped to gather a feeling of magic! Alongside this, the lighting was used incredibly well to imagine certain parts of Neverland such as Tinkerbell. This continued to keep the magic of the land alive! Special effects such as the cannon fire also were brilliant to see, alongside the ending sequence which was a spectacle! It is also worth mentioning the fantastic puppetry at play for Nana which also was an inspired choice to portray this loveable dog! The live band was great to experience, and they delivered the score beautifully.
The ensemble were very entertaining throughout, maintaining great acting and dance routines. Each of them added to the atmosphere and really looked to be having a great time. Both the Lost Boys and Pirates worked well together and all had individual personalities that shined. Ezra Gooda plays Michael Darling and Oscar Wilson plays John Darling. Both Gooda and Wilson worked well together as the family unit and alongside the Lost Boys. Sophie Garrod plays Mrs Darling alongside Smee, the fun sidekick to Captain Hook. Garrod was able to mix between both roles well, giving lots of vocal performances. Her comedy timing was very good and worked well alongside Collins as Mr Darling/Hook.
Jamie Collins plays Mr Darling and the mischievous Captain Hook. Collins managed to balance both roles which are quite polarising at times. His vocals were very strong too in ‘When I Kill Peter Pan’ and his acting complimented this well. Levi-Jay Canham plays the titular Peter Pan with charismatic energy and seemed to be enjoying the role a lot. His vocals on ‘Cleverness of Me’ were very clear, profound and strong which helped the song stand out in the first half. The stand out performance was Jasmine Flatt as Wendy Darling. Her acting was phenomenal, being the motherly figure whilst also exploring this new land. She also had beautiful vocals in every song she sang in, especially alongside others in ‘Never Land’. Her voice was strong and powerful, which made the audience instantly turn to her.
Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure continues to run until the 5th April, the perfect escape this Easter weekend. Book your tickets now!
Tickets for this performance were provided complimentary. Many thanks to The B&B Young Peoples Theatre Group for the excellent performance!
Max
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