Theatre and Dance Reviews

When you're sitting in front of a sparkly curtain surrounded by loads of kids with flashing swords and people who can't seem to go two hours without opening a picnic, you'd be forgiven for thinking that panto had started even earlier than normal!

But you'd be wrong, because Peter Pan at the Gordon Craig Theatre is simply a lovely musical with catchy songs, housing a classic and traditional tale known and loved by millions!

Every year, this Stevenage theatre self-produces at least two shows, usually musicals, using a mixture of professional actors and youngsters for local schools. Their latest offering is no exception and features a wealth of local talent from schools in Stevenage, Letchworth and Baldock to name but a few.

The youngsters playing lost boys, pirates and sqaws are all budding talent hoping to emulate the success of people like Bradley Clarkson who plays Starkey in this production. He started out as a boy in the Gordon Craig shows and has since gone on to train as an actor and last year got to the quarter finals of ITV's Grease is the Word.
In my opinion Peter Pan makes a much better musical than it does a panto.

This show, adapted for stage by Piers Chater Robinson from JM Barrie’s original book, includes all the things that you would expect from Peter Pan including the dastardly Captain Hook, pirates, mermaids, lost boys and flying!

Jeremy Barlow is a charming teenage Peter with the maturity to capture the quite complex emotions that never seem to come across in panto and Rachel Jerram returns to Stevenage after playing Cinderella at Christmas to play an engaging Wendy, just as confused about her feelings.

Granville Saxton was an excellent Captain Hook with just the right balance between hapless and horrid, while his troop of pirates, including Martin Dickinson as Smee and Bradley as Starkey were equally hopeless and just as entertaining. The Smee / Starkey double act in particular was great fun to watch and provided some good comic moments.

Ben Harte as John and David Pressman as Michael were very confident for their young age and together with Peter and Wendy handled the flying expertly.

It's a very happy show, with colourful and inventive sets and costumes, and after a first half that would have benefited from a little more pace (probably a first night thing!) the second half fairly rocketed along.

While it's not a pantomime, there was still scope for some audience interaction. Hook was off course booed towards the end of the show and when Peter implores the audience to believe in fairies in order to save Tinkerbell, there was almost a gospel type celebration with people standing, clapping, singing and cheering!

All in all, director Paul Laidlaw has produced a lively and fun evening out for all ages.