REVIEW | Peter Pan: A New Pantomime Adventure, Loughborough Town Hall
Written by Emmie
Disclaimer: We were invited to watch this performance in return for an honest review.
Launching into its 10th year of bringing first-class pantomimes to the Leicestershire audiences, award-winning Little Wolf Entertainment celebrates in style with Peter Pan: A New Pantomime Adventure until 7 January 2024. Written, designed, and directed by Morgan Brind can expect a jam-packed joyous production with a treasure trove of delights for audiences of all ages.
The story for this pantomime feels different from the story we all know in many ways but it still features the characters you know and love, including Peter, Tinkerbell, and Captain Hook - but this time they’re joined by a very odd-looking woman on an adventure you won’t want to miss!
Adults will love Peter Pan: A New Pantomime Adventure because Brind’s writing style has completely packed the pantomime to the ceiling with all of the puns, local references, and subtle nods to more “grown up” humour that will, of course, appeal to that specific crowd. They will also lap up Matthew Siveter’s performance as Auntie Histamine. Siveter is not a newbie to the dame role, but a new face for Loughborough Town Hall audiences and you will not be disappointed. Quick-witted and his incredible vocal talent shines in this production, watch out for it! As well as that Harry Polden is back in town for a second year running in the comic role - it feels like he’s a lot more at home in this role now and his relationship with Matthew Siveter is far more cemented in comparison to the previous dame last Christmas.
Of course, pantomime is definitely about the younger audiences and Children will love the panto at the Loughborough Town Hall for many reasons. The characters in this production, particularly Peter Pan (Liam Watson) and Eliza (Lottie Mae O’Kill) captivate the younger audiences almost immediately - especially when they soar across the stage. There’s so much comedy jam-packed into this production and plenty of opportunity for children to yell, laugh, and dance along to every second of what it has to offer. The second half opens with a stunning glow-in-the-dark-esque sequence that the children in our audience certainly loved the most. Also, there’s nothing more inspiring than seeing an organisation use local children in their ensemble, inspiring the next generation of performers who will certainly want to get their slice of the action!
The best thing about Loughborough Town Hall’s Peter Pan: A New Pantomime Adventure is the scale of this production aesthetically. There are some showstopping costumes - notably worn mostly by the Dame and the audience continued to be amazed by what they would enter the stage in next. This is a pantomime that doesn’t use big showbiz names to get bums on seats, they do dive into the foundations of what these productions are about above anything else. A pantomime is a perfect form of escapism and Loughborough Town Hall’s is exactly that. Whilst for me it wasn’t my favourite one I’ve seen over the past 7 years in the theatre, it does have many different aspects to it will that be enjoyed by other audiences this festive season.
If you’re watching this panto please be aware that the sound can be quite loud in parts and there are flashing lights as well as a couple of bangs.
At Loughborough Town Hall until 7 January 2024.
