REVIEW | The Adventures of Peter Pan, Festival Theatre
The Adventures of Peter Pan Pantomime © Douglas Robertson Written by Jacqueline
Disclaimer: We were invited to watch this performance in return for an honest review.
This week the Edinburgh festive season has truly begun with a bang… and some fairy dust! Due to the ongoing renovation work at the Kings’ Theatre, the pantomime has once again found its home in the Festival Theatre. This year, audiences are being treated to Crossroads Pantomimes’ production of The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, a big-budget extravaganza running until December 31st. The Kings/ Festival Theatre has been long-established as one of the highlights of Edinburgh’s theatrical calendar- could this year’s production match the soaring highs of previous pantomimes?
The answer is a definite yes. We all know the story of Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up. In this version, Peter (Kieran Lynch, making his Edinburgh pantomime debut) has lost his ability to fly and it is up to Wendy (Robyn Whyte), Tink (Rebecca Stenhouse) and a new gang of friends to save the day, while once again attempting to defeat the evil Captain Hook (Grant Stott, embarking on his 29th panto overall and 25th Edinburgh panto). Add to the mix May McSmee (Allan Stewart, entering his twenty-fifth glorious year as Edinburgh’s favourite panto dame) and Smee (Jordan Young), and you’ve hit the pantomime jackpot. Magic, mayhem and mishaps are a-plenty in this two-and-a -half hour long spectacle, directed by Ed Curtis and Eilidh Gibson.
One of the greatest joys of pantomime as an art form is its ability to bring audiences together through local humour. Although jokes about deep fried mars bars, the Proclaimers and Portobello beach may not make any sense across the border, the audience’s enjoyment was palpable as people cheered, laughed and sang along (when invited to!). The audience participation is also a highlight, though I would definitely recommend avoiding the aisle seating if you don’t want to risk getting picked on and inadvertently becoming a star of the show.
In terms of design, this show is oozing with glitz and glamour and certainly would not look out of place on a London stage. The special effects alone are incredible, with a certain character’s entrance at the end of the first act leaving audiences gasping and cheering for more. Teresa Nalton and Ron Briggs’ costume design (with additional design by James MacIver) is a feast for the eyes with no expense spared- especially not for May McSmee’s (Allan Stewart) seemingly endless wardrobe of elaborate dresses! A shoutout must also be given to Duncan McLean and Ryan Dewar’s video design which is used to great effect and accentuates the physical set pieces rather than replacing them.
There is no denying the crucial role that pantos play in introducing the arts to the next generation of theatre goers, and The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan is no exception. The entire show is a delightful spectacle, full of huge sets, glitzy costumes and plenty of laughs for the whole family. Without giving too much away, there’s also a particularly charming section during the second act involving children from the audience being given an opportunity to shine onstage. The show incorporates a mixture of original songs and some modern pop classics to great effect- there’s truly something for everyone, and you’re sure to be singing the songs on your way home.
In a time where many audiences are thinking more carefully about what shows to see with their time and money, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan is truly worth every penny- and I say that as somebody who already has a second trip booked to see this production. At its roots, panto is escapism for the whole family, and this production delivers that in buckets- along with festive joy, sparkly and cheer!
If you're watching The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, please be aware that this production contains haze, flashing lights and loud noises throughout.
The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan runs at the Festival Theatre until Sunday December 31st.
