Review: PETER PAN, Richmond Theatre

Alexander Pope's poignant quote 'To wake the soul with the gentle strokes of art' hangs above the stage of the beautiful Richmond Theatre to remind us of the potent power of art and theatre. Quite what he would have made of modern day pantomime is anyone's guess, as the latest offering of festive mayhem comes to Richmond Theatre in a sea of glitter and flashing lights.

Peter Pan is a solid choice for a pantomime, as most people already know the story. If they don't, it's pretty irrelevant, as the plot is not the thing most people go to see a pantomime for.

The celebrity draw here is veteran actor Robert Lindsay, making his pantomime debut as Captain Hook. He seems to have fun in his outfit that is more Jack Sparrow than classic Hook and he has a great swagger and confidence about him, but lacks the rasping menace to be a proper baddy. There is a reliance on the music from Oliver! in this production, with Lindsay's renditions of 'You've Got To Pick a Pirate or Two' and 'I'm Reviewing The Situation' nicely acerbic and bouncy.

It's a pity that the audience is not guided into any booing and hissing. In fact, there aren't many of the classic lines such as 'it's behind you'.

Britain's Got Talent 2014 finalist Jon Clegg makes a charming Smee. He rattles off a multitude of amusing impressions during the show and has a very natural engagement with the younger audience members. His rendition of 'Baby Shark' is the hit of the show.

Rachel Stanley is Mimi, The Magical Mermaid, who has landed straight from The Only Way Is Essex. Harry Francis is a likeable Peter Pan, with good aerial acrobatic skills and a pleasant singing voice. Keisha Marina Atwell shows powerful vocal skills as Tiger Lily, especially in her rendition of 'No Place I'd Rather Be', but she is rather underused. Unfortunately, Vikki Beeb comes across as an annoyingly prim and aloof Wendy; it's no wonder that Isobel Hathaway's roller-skating Tinker Bell dislikes her so much.

It is worth remembering that pantomime is often the first introduction to theatre for young children and younger members of the audience were certainly entertained. However, for those returning to the theatre and adults, there needs to be enough clever humour and cheeky asides to entertain and distract in equal measure. Unfortunately, humour was distinctly lacking at times. A particular routine of telling a story using a supermarket trolley of packets of biscuits was so poor, even the irrepressible Clegg seemed to have a hard time getting through it.

Innuendo is a difficult thing to tackle at the best of times, but especially with the current climate of #MeToo. It seems as though the producers have dealt with this by pretty much avoiding it completely, which is a shame, as one of the biggest laughs from the children was Clegg's use of the word 'boobies'. It leaves a comedy hole that remains waiting to be filled.

There is much to enjoy about this production. The Richmond Theatre Orchestra are on fine form, led by an enthusiastic Pierce Tee. The sets are intricate and elaborate and change seamlessly from the Darling children's bedroom to Peter Pan's hideout. What needs to be tighter is some of the dancing and all the fight scenes. Any hesitation during a sword fight is too easy to spot: when Peter Pan and Hook fight, there is no jeopardy or drama to speak of.

Overall, this is an enjoyable panto, but there seems to be a lack in the energy, humour and cheekiness needed to pull off a truly great festive show.

Peter Pan is at Richmond Theatre until 6 January 2019

Photo Credit: Craig Sugden