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