Review of Peter Pan by the Upstagers at the King's Hall, Ilkley, Friday, January 22, 2016
THERE is a different feel to Upstagers' pantomime this year. Oh yes there is! Peter Pan contains fewer traditional ingredients than pantos like Cinderella, Dick Whittington or Aladdin. For one thing there is no obvious Dame. Script writer Ash Caton has effectively created one in the shape of John, the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Darling. "Dame" John is played with flair and cross-dressing glamour by Ash himself.
The show is co-directed by Andrew Hewitt and Ash Caton, who from the outset, encouraged the cast to contribute their own ideas for songs and gags. This could account for the generous lashings of "young" humour which in moderation is no bad thing. My proverbial maiden aunt might have not been spared her blushes though!
There is space to name just a few of Upstagers' sparkling all-singing and dancing cast of eighty young people ranging from tinies to twenty-somethings. Jack Harrison's towering Peter Pan is a rather conceited character who hankers after Lucy Carter's appealing Wendy Darling. Thirteen year-old Harry Tennant gives a charming performance as Michael Darling. George Scaife plays Mr Darling before morphing into that dastardly arch-fiend Captain James Hook. George makes a nonchalant and dashing villain with a great voice. Smee, the Captain's Mate, is played by Elliot Broadfoot whose range of comical facial expressions and funny voices is a hoot. Bethany Hare sings powerfully as a street-wise Tinkerbell, and Clementine Hall is a straight-faced Tiger Lily who shoots the animals of Neverland with her Rambo-style crossbow. This year I missed Upstagers panto regular Deidre the Dodo; but we do have a scary life-size crocodile played by Patrick Hebbert. Patrick also plays and voices Nana, the Darling family's loveable dog.
It is gratifying to note that artistic director Andrew Hewitt and his team are building on the high standards set by Gill Jackson throughout her remarkable three decades at the helm of Upstagers. This much is evident from the professionalism of Megan Crowley's slick choreography, the magical scenic effects, glittering costumes, and Phil Walsh's dynamic musical direction.
Peter Pan continues at the King's Hall until Saturday.
Geoffrey Mogridge
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