Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Following a remarkable rise to international success, the multi award winning Mischief Theatre company return to the Lyceum with Peter Pan Goes Wrong and if you have been lucky enough to see any of their other productions and liked them then this is definitely one to add to your ‘must see’ list. You’ll know what to expect and you certainly won’t be disappointed.

Based on the famous J M Barrie children’s classic, Peter Pan, about a boy who never grows up the scene is set from the moment you enter the auditorium. The stage hands of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, an amateur theatre group, are preparing to run their show and chaos is already the order of the day and is being helped further along by random audience members being asked to assist by searching for tools under seats and supporting electrical cables (!) whilst they were being secured.

The cast really are superb and I would hope that all are fully insured as they take their lives in their hands, being members of this particular amateur drama group.

As the title of the show indicates, everything that can go wrong, does, with scenery flats being knocked over, lighting boxes falling from above, the odd wardrobe malfunction, collapsing three tier bunk beds, roller skating mermaids et al and all of this without yet mentioning the many aerial scenes, ripe for mishaps, as our eponymous hero flies across and around the stage. No matter that he occasionally disappears into the wings or that he is upside down or not facing the audience. It is all good fun and the packed theatre roared with laughter.

With the main exceptions of Ciara Morris who took the part of Wendy Darling and Gareth Tempest in the title role, each cast member transitioned between roles. Jamie Birkett who took the parts of Mrs Darling, Lisa, Tinkerbell and Curley had some exceptionally quick costume changes as did Matthew Howell who took the parts of Nana the Dog, Peter’s shadow and Starkey.

Jack Michael Stacey is the highly strung director of this amateur group, and starred as Mr Darling and Captain Hook, engaged in some hilarious second half banter with the audience. Jean-Luke Worrell as Francis the narrator was fabulously flamboyant. Clark Devlin, as the totally unrehearsed Dennis, played John Darling, a mermaid and Mr Smee elicited laughter from the audience simply by standing still with his headphones clamped to his ears for prompts. Theo Toksvig-Stewart’s Max (Michael Darling, a mermaid and a crocodile) plays to the audience’s sympathy whilst angling for a bigger part and a love interest with Wendy Darling.

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• Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography
• Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography
• Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography
• Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography

The writers Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields have created another fabulous play which remains true to the Mischief Theatre’s legacy. Adam Meggido’s direction has the action rolling along at quite a pace and whilst the staging is superficially simple, it is in reality very technically complex as Simon Scullion’s set revolves, occasionally swiftly, to provide the three scenes of the Darling children’s bedroom, Neverland and the pirate ship. The sophistication of the design and planning to make everything go wrong but safely must be enormous.

This production is top notch and I can guarantee that you will laugh from the beginning to the end and maybe even beyond. I, for one, am now really looking forward to the next production from the Mischief Theatre Company to come to Sheffield.

Sheffield Lyceum Theatre Until 24th February