On opening night, we excitedly settled into our seats and were looking forward to seeing our first Christmas performance of 2022. This year we were whisked off to Neverland for the story of Peter Pan.
It’s no surprise to see Jonny Wilkes (Smee) front and centre on the poster; he’s an icon of the Stoke panto, and as well as appearing, he holds writing and directing credits for the show. For the first time in as long as we can remember, Jonny wasn’t joined by his long-time panto pal Christian Patterson, who was unavailable this year due to a film acting opportunity. Ay up me duck – Wilkes gives another brilliant performance, his passion for panto is clear to see, and the audience lapped it up!
Audience members need not worry about the change in panto pairings; joining Jonny on stage (and in the writing and directing) was long-time panto favourite Kai Owen (Captain Hook). The partnership between Jonny and Kai was a pleasure to watch. Between them, they had our family in stitches; there were some absolutely hilarious interactions between the pair. Kai gave a swashbuckling performance as Captain Hook, delivering some classic lines along the way.
Amanda Coutts plays the role of Tinkerbell, and she really brought the character to life with her fairy sparkle and strong voice. She was an absolute delight to watch and was literally all over the stage! From her flying, dancing and singing to her very impressive roller skating skills, Coutts gave a magical performance that made her a family favourite with us.
The title role of Peter Pan went to Rory Sutherland, a perfect casting; with his youthful looks and enthusiastic acting, we were all invested in Peter re-gaining the ability to fly. Hannah Everest rounded off the main cast, playing the role of Wendy Darling. Her sweetness and innocence were perfectly balanced with her powerful singing voice.
The costumes, music, special effects and set design are also impressive, and extra credit must go to the end of Act 1 closing piece – as always, we won’t spoil that surprise! But it’s safe to say that it was a big hit with our family and the people around us.
It was great to see the audience, especially the children, enjoy this year’s performance. The laughter could probably be heard all the way in Crewe, sorry Crewe! Regional jibes, double entendres, slapstick, gags and more – the show has it all, and the audience roared with laughter throughout. A great night with side-splitting laughter that will entertain the youngest to the oldest members of your family.
One of the highlights we look out for is the Twelve Days of Christmas – five toilet rolls. As Jonny wound up his pitching arm to reach the upper circle, he fell short, and they landed on the row in front of us! The pressure you feel when they come your way is immense, so we were glad it didn’t land on us to keep them away from Hook. Unfortunately and hilariously, the man who did get them threw them straight into Captain Hook’s hand – “You had one job” retorted Wilkes :o)
We loved Peter Pan; it’s a fantastic production that is sure to entertain and delight audiences of all ages. It is full of energy, and humour and is the perfect thing to get you into the Christmas Spirit! “Snap” up your tickets, put on your Christmas jumpers and enjoy the show.
If you are looking for a fun family show, then be sure to check out Peter Pan at the Regent Theatre in Stoke. The show runs until the 31st of December, with evening and matinee performances available.
Tickets for Peter Pan can be bought on the Regent Theatre’s website – Peter Pan
1 comment
Jane Roe
We took our seven year old granddaughter to see it. We found it crude and coarse. Very poorly written and the cast spent too much time messing about. We will never go again. Next year Crewe.