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BrumHour saw Peter Pan at the invite of Birmingham Hippodrome.
By Dave Massey x.com/BrumHour
Brum Panto Review: Peter Pan at Birmingham Hippodrome
⭐⭐⭐⭐A hugely fun panto
Directed by Michael Harrison, based on J M Barrie’s play, Adapted by Harry Michaels and Matt Slack
Welcome to the Brum Panto! There is a plot. Something about Wendy (Rhiannon Chesterman) and her brothers reading a book about Peter Pan and discovering his fantasy world had come to life. Or something? They flew straight to Neverland in the prologue and sending right into Pantoland. Not that I minded. The regular Brum Panto things are all in place, an awesome beast, a flying vehicle, great singers, and songs which have nothing to do with the plot.
The Brum Panto is one of ther very largest and most ambitious in the UK and can feature big stories, with huge cast and lots of great jokes, “Where is the plot”? Andrew Ryan’s adorable Mrs Smee wonders musically. It was funny and the cast are great.
Matt Slack is excellent, his set pieces and songs are silly, funny and current. Alison Hammond doesn’t appear for THIRTY MINUTES! More Alison, please! She’s probably sat watching it from her dressing room, enjoying the show! When she appears, she is as warm, friendly and comfortable on the Hippodrome’s huge stage as you’d expect her to be.
Danny Mac is there to act does a fine job as Hook despite interruptions, Billie-Kay and Noah Harrison are great as Tinkerbell and the titular Peter Pan. Bridging the gap between the chaos and the acting is Andrew Ryan who shines in his panto dame solos, Was he playing Matt Slack’s mother or wife, I was confused.
On Press and Media night, there were some sound issues and chaotic line remembering, but I’m sure those will be sorted over the next few performances.
This really is a big night out (or matinee) and its West End roots shine through in scale and size of the production. It really is the biggest Panto outside of that London. That balance between story and the panto stables is tricky to get right and sometimes the naughty jokes might not quite go over kids’ heads.
That said this is a hugely fun panto and well worth a afternoon our or a night out on a cold January. Peter Pan is at Birmingham Hippodrome until 2nd February 2024. Book tickets here: birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/peter-pan-two.
