Underneath a Magical Moon – Sheffield Playhouse

Tutti Frutti productions bring ‘A reimagining of Peter Pan as told by Wendy Darling’ to life at the Sheffield Playhouse. This is a children’s theatrical experience aimed at the 3+ age range. The theatre was full of children with their ‘grown ups’ and Saturday morning was the perfect time for young minds to be open and not feeling too sleepy! The cast interact with the audience before the show starts, introducing themselves and developing a rapport with the children.

Written by Mike Kenny with Ivan Scott as Composer the cast took on mutipule characters to re tell the story. Starting with J.M.Barrie’s original child characters of Wendy, John and Michael they transform to Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Mermaids and the ‘Clock-a dile‘.

This multi-talented Cast of Rachel Hammond as Wendy, Alex Wingfield as Peter Pan and Robert Wade as Captain Hook – sing, dance, act and play multiple instruments on stage from saxophones to keyboards and all these skills are at a remarkably high level! The musical numbers include many different dance styles to ‘hook’ (excuse the pun) in the children in the audience, some are very funny and all relevant to the characters. The trio’s energy levels are sublime and their dexterity and polish in moving endless set and props to create ‘something out of nothing’ is impressive. ‘Clock-o-diles’ made from garden rakes and plant pots, sleeping bags that became mermaid tails, and a ship made from a wheelbarrow to mention just a few. This was a real trip into imaginary play. There wasn’t a moment for children to lose concentration and the audience were silent at the spectacle throughout the 1 hour 5 min (no interval) performance.  Set and Costume Designer Kate Bunce does an exceptionally creative job and deserves acclaim.

Hammond as Wendy is mesmerizing and fully engaging at all age ranges.  Wingfield has energy abound and is a perfect Peter Pan and the production’s Musical Director. Wade’s Captain Hook is just the right amount of ‘scary’ for the role and is quite comical at all levels. Collectively their interaction is wonderful and none more so than their passing of Tinkerbell from one to the other at speed.

So, what did my Seven-year-old granddaughter Marnie, think of the production?

‘I liked the dancing, the Mermaid number was funny, and I liked the pirate’s street dancing! My favorite bit was when Peter’s shadow escaped, and they played the clarinet whenever he moved faster than his shadow could keep up. The ‘Clock-a-dile’ was good, it looked real but was only a rake, its eyes lit up! How did they make Tinkerbell fly so fast? I am so glad she didn’t die and that was because we all believe in fairies.

 This is a very polished performance that is wholly suitable for its intended audience and indeed for any age group, I enjoyed it as much as my Granddaughter Marnie did! This is a great introduction to live theatre for children and has all the magic a Christmas show should have. A special and worthy outing to enjoy with the family!  You can catch Under a Magical Moon at the Sheffield Playhouse until Tuesday 31^st Dec with several daily performances to choose from. https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/underneath-a-magical-moon

Reviewers: Tracey Bell (Grandma) and Marnie Watson (aged 7)

Reviewed: 14th December 2024

North West End UK Rating: