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John Altman as Captain James Hook aboard the Jolly Roger with its skull figurehead. Peter Pan
Wolverhampton Grand
***** WHAT a swashbuckling corker of a panto
the Grand have served up for Christmas. It’s funny, fast-paced and
cracking entertainment which works for kids and parents . . . and
grandparents alike. It is bright and breezy, colourful – what a boon
LED lights have been to theatres and especially panto – with plenty of
pyrotechnics from explosions of flame It's a stage effect from The Twins FX which never
fails to amaze youngsters – and their parents. Peter Pan, played by Ross Carpenter, is suitable
dashing as the boyish hero who is never going to grow up while Hannah
Nicholas is a serious minded, no nonsense Wendy who falls for Peter much
to the annoyance of Lucy Evans’ delightful Tinkerbell, who nobly dies
nicely to save Peter when required
Luckily the youngsters in the audience brought
her noisily back to life. The tiny girl behind me could burst eardrums
for a living when she grows up. I suppose if they get a quiet audience
or one that doesn’t believe in fairies, they would just have to leave
old Tinkerbell cluttering up the stage and work around her on an
alternative ending. Peter’s ally against the notoriously nasty Captain James Hook is Tiger Lily, played by Telford-born Kimmy Edwards, who is no stranger to the Grand, having toured there with Ghost. She leads the rough, tough Indians against the rough tough pirate hordes made up of the lively ensemble who bring their own energy to the show. With Wendy, flying in from the Darling home are
siblings John and Michael played by two pairs of youngsters who, on
Press night, were played by James Shaw and Archie Turner with young Shaw
particularly impressive and looking completely at home on stage as he
delivered a difficult, complex speech of defiance to Hook.
Hook being played by John Altman, best known as
Nasty Nick Cotton from East Enders. Perhaps his nastiness, and there was
plenty of it, died with his character, because his Hook is, in truth,
rather nice, a very tongue in cheek baddy, flamboyant bluster with a
cheeky grin and a cheekier hook. Leading the laughs are the Chuckle Brothers, Paul and Barry, who are a revelation. They have been regarded mainly as children’s entertainers, hilarious to anyone with an age in single figures but lost on their parents, but, away from kids’ TV they are gloriously funny, a real old-fashioned double act who reminded me of masters of the art, Abbott and Costello, with their daft routines and their clever word play.
And there is none of this messing about with bringing up a few tots at the end to be asked what they want for Christmas while the cast and set change for the grand finale. No siree, up are dragged three dads and a mum who, when they are asked to don bin-bag costumes, probably knew what was coming as they acted out Goldilocks and the Three Bears . . . and the custard pies. Simple, daft and very funny – at least for those who had avoided the call to fame and . . . custard and, let's be honest, kids love seeing adults taking one for the team!
With fine sets including a pirate ship sailing
majestically on to stage and that spectacular flying car, Pan, Wendy and
Tinkerbell flying around the stage, colourful costumes and lively music
from the five man band under David Lane there is never a dull moment and
time, like Pan, just flies by leaving some very excited and happy, and
hoarse, children heading off home with smiling parents. And you can’t
ask more than that. The next generation of theatre goers have been . . .
hooked. Directed by David Burrows, Peter Pan flies on to 24-01-16. Roger Clarke
15-12-15 Wolverhampton has announced it's panto next year will be Aladdin
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to Catherine wheels and it even has a sports car which flies out over
the audience with the Chuckle Brothers aboard. 
sly
laugh out loud funny; and as proper Northerners they have no truck with
this Health and Safety malarkey, happily flinging sweets, crisps,
marshmallows and anything else they fancy into the audience, along with
a dousing with a giant water pistol - reet gradely fun as the Chuckle
brothers might have it.