It’s panto season …oh no it isn’t! But it really is, and The Floral Pavilion is currently showing The Further Adventures of Peter Pan: The Return of Captain Hook from now until January 5th. It’s the professional pantomime in the area, and it promises to be a night full of fun.
With glamorous sets, beautiful costumes, and a great storyline, this is a fantastic show. Starring big names like Emmerdale’s Tom Lister as the evil (but spectacularly funny) Captain Hook, and local legend Sean Jones (who has played Mickey in Blood Brothers for over two decades) as Smee, there was some incredible acting talent on display.
The story follows Emily Darling, grand granddaughter of Wendy, as she heads to Neverland with Tinker Bell (played by West End’s Holly Atterton) to prove to Peter Pan (Danny Colligan) that Captain Hook is back and badder than ever. Modernised by presenting Emily as a social media addict longing for a real adventure, it’s a clever storyline that sees the unlikely group face all of the typical dangers of panto. From “he’s behind you” to plenty of back and forth with the audience, there were all the usual trappings that come along with watching a pantomime.
One thing was noticeably missing – the gender-crossing characters are usually a huge part of pantomime, from the provocative Dame character to the male lead who’s usually played by a female. However, the show had plenty of slapstick comedy, location-based jokes, silliness and timely references to make it all worthwhile. Of course, there’s also a lot of rude jokes which will go right over the top of littles ones’ heads!
As the story develops we’re introduced to ‘the Babybels’, Tink’s army of tiny fairies, and also Smee’s crew – played by the superb ‘The Nitwits’, a comedy acrobat troupe. These were a fantastic addition to the show, with the kids being utterly adorable and the acrobats incredibly talented. Another great addition to the show was Ethyl Mermaid and her seemingly never ending fish-related puns, played by Victoria Hay. The entire cast worked together seamlessly, and the vocals were brilliant too.
There were plenty of popular songs throughout, with the lyrics changed to tell the story, so it was easy enough to dance away in our seats and really feel involved with the plot. From Taylor Swift and Katy Perry to Chappell Roan and songs from the Wicked soundtrack, the directors did a great job of fitting in relevant, popular tunes that really worked within the show.
Overall, this is a spectacular show full of fun, wit, and the sense of good conquering evil – just as a pantomime should be. Highlights included the way Sean Jones and Tom Lister bounced off each other with such ease, the comedy acrobatics, and Tinker Bell doing the whole performance on roller skates. It really is a show for all the family, and a brilliantly festive tradition!
Playing until 5th January 2025, https://www.floralpavilion.com/event/peter-pan-2024/
Reviewer: Katy Gilroy
Reviewed: 10th December 2024
North West End UK Rating: