Peter Pan Birmingham Hippodrome- Dazzling Spectacular *****

Michael Harrison who directed this version of Peter Pan at the Birmingham Hippodrome recently said there are five elements to a successful Qdos Pantomime - Special effects, Stars, Script, Production values, and Marketing. There is no doubt that these elements are all present in this spectacular production and on a second viewing combine to make a near perfect show. 

The Special effects by Twin FX, Ian Westbrook and Flying by Foy here are what grabs the attention and there can't have been a pantomime this season with more invested in and packed into the production. From the opening scene with silhouetted characters appearing in the windows of the roof top set the magic starts. Then Smee (the irrepressible Matt Slack) is seen in a video flying over the rooftop that seamlessly becomes an actual bike to fly out over the audience and turn upside down. It is a great opening sequence. 

On arrival in Neverland we meet a charming Captain Hook (Darren Day replacing Jimmy Osmond who is sadly ill and proving he too can act as well as sing) who bursts into song with "Crazy Pirates" accompanied by a fabulous ensemble of ten and a wonderful animated parrot who speaks and flaps his wings in time with the chorus! Later he sails out into the audience on a huge rocking ship. As we know he fears the crocodile who bit off his hand and we meet the spectacular creature twice both to amazing effect at the end of each Act.  In between times there is some excellent use of video with a projected map of the island and of Tinkerbell (Kellie Gnauck) dying and of course the expected flying of Peter Pan (Jaymi Hensley), Wendy (Cassie Compton) and The Mermaid (Meera Syal). 

All these elements come together with the high Production Values to create an excellent first half which tells most of the Peter Pan story, incorporate the effects with some great songs and comedy like when Smee plays ball with Nana the dog or when Hook sings Donny Osmond's "Love me for a reason". There are good routines such as the Shirley Sure tongue twister which is very well executed by Hook, Smee and The Mermaid (and much better that the Dawn French version at the Palladium) and an excellent clever flags routine from Smee. There is a hint of the variety show that is too follow in Act 2 when the Neverlanders (played by the incredible Timbuktu Tumblers, who won speciality act of the year last year with GB Pantomime Awards) perform their routine.

But the Script which has already cut the Darling Parents in the Nursery, Wendy being shot by Tootles and Tiger Lily (an underused Imogen Brooke) being marooned largely abandons the storytelling completely in the second half. Instead it is a series Star turns with Darren Day and Matt Slack singing some seventies hits; Hook, the Mermaid, Smee and Tinks doing a routine weak "if I were not in Neverland" (done better in Cinderella at Manchester Opera house); Hook, Smee and Mermaid doing a music clip routine (done much better in Snow White at Swan Wycombe even if Matt Slack did write the original version) and Sascha Williams performing his astonishing Rola Rola circus tricks . In addition, for some inexplicable reason Jaymi Hensley, the Union J singer, appears to mime along to "Rewrite the stars". Thankfully at the end in tribute to Jimmy Osmond, Darren Day  performs a mini concert of "Love me for a reason”, "We going to party" and "Crazy Horses" to create a rousing finale.

The end result is another excellent Qdos Variety show which like the Palladium show is loosely linked by skeleton pantomime Script with fantastic Special Effects , strong Star performances from Darren Day / Jimmy Osmond and Matt Slack and a great ensemble , all slickly staged and lit in excellent Production Values and there is no doubt the fifth element , Marketing , clearly works as the show was strongly profiled on the BBC One show and is playing to full houses.

You will not have seen many better Pantomimes this year, perhaps the Qdos Production of Peter Pan at Richmond with the wonderful Robert Lindsey , but for largely smut free entertainment Birmingham delivers and will continue to do so until 27^th January.

I think I will have to see it again won't I!

Nick Wayne 

Five stars

Cinderella - You shall go to the ball in Manchester (5 stars) and Cinderella Woking (4 stars)

Cinderella is one of the best pantomime titles but sometimes it starts to feel tired and old fashioned with old gags about nine carrot necklaces, fox hunting and picking up sticks in the woods. It is very refreshing when the producers (Qdos) and writer Alan McHugh give it a lively update, telling the basic story but making space for a large amount of brilliant Panto business. When you see the same title within a few days by the same producer and writer you begin to see their production process. With 35 pantomimes in all to produce it is a machine-like production line that produces a basic script, selects main songs, slots in special effects and sets and then gest the local Director to incorporate the casts own business in the spaces left. The result is a fast-paced two-hour show In Manchester Opera house and Woking New Victoria where large segments are the same, but the shows differentiated by their cast. Both feature a smooth transformation from the kitchen with a pumpkin man into the flying carriage for a spectacular act 1 finale borrowed from the London Palladium production of two years ago.

Manchester Opera House driven along by a hilarious Ben Nickless as Buttons with wonderful support by two excellent Ugly sisters Connor McIntyre as Phelina and Les Dennis as Michaela. The Uglies work well together McIntyre constantly eyeing the audience with a wicked smile and reaching out to hold Dennis’s hand, Dennis delivering his lines in a dry way which is evil and yet likeable at the same time.

They seamlessly integrate Nickless's comedy and impressions into the show and from his first entrance out of the magic boxes piled on stage he holds centre stage and has the audience laughing and eating out of his hands. He interacts well with the Dames in a succession of scenes that steal the show, some great lap top gags, a lesson in wooing, an excellent Apple Watch routine, a fast show recap, a nice routine with a Teddy and a wonderfully timed "if I was not upon the stage routine ".  On his own he entertains us with his impressions (Michael McIntyre, Ozzy Osbourne, Alan Carr, Take That, and Jose Mourinho) and an old Elvis routine learned from a broken record.

He also has charming comedy scenes with Cinderella, a very good pantomime debut from Shannon Flynn, as he reviews his record collection to cheer her up instead of the usual imagined carriage routine and when he sings first with a guitar and then on a wall in woods with her and the Prince, Gareth Gates. There is a strong feel of a cast of equals working hard together to deliver the show.

There is also an excellent Fairy Godmother, by singer Hayley-Ria Christian who gets several very good songs with the ensemble most notably in the woods with a host of pantomime characters.

The sets and costumes are very good with a lovely Italianate perspective to the village for the opening song "At the opera house" and two toy dogs to accompany the Uglies entrance

This is a funny slick show with a good mix of silly and adult humour, great songs and dances and a little bit of magic but most of all it showcases Ben Nickless’s comedy talents perfectly.

The Woking New Victoria version is led by Craig Revel Horwood who is outstanding as Baroness Hardup (and replaces the Ugly Sister’s main business in Manchester with those roles relegated to smaller walk-ons). He is magnificent in “Look at me” and in the Dance competition at the Ball and his disdainful looks and his Strictly Come Dancing Persona is curiously loveable and detestable at the same time.

The comedy is lead by the wonderful Paul Chuckle who after 51 years of pantomime with his brother Barry (who sadly died earlier this year) plays Baron Hardup. He recreates all his famous Chuckle Brother routines with the help of Buttons, comedian Phil Butler. Just as at the Mayflower last year we are treated to the old routines of Goldilocks, If I were not at Hard up Hall, Costume making routine and the magic cucumber routine. He is held in such high esteem and affection that the audience love it and enjoy the familiar gags, faux corpsing and brilliant comic timing. Butler himself has a lovely moment making a rose out of a paper tissue.

The result is a fun familiar show, true to the traditions of pantomime and suitable for the whole family and unless you too want to try the 3-hour drive between them, then I urge you to go to the nearest one to you!

Nick Wayne

Manchester Opera House 5 Stars

Woking New Victoria 4 stars