Lakeside always leave the traditional Christmas panto to the city-based theatres, offering an alternative to shouting at a man in drag or hearing chart-topping hits being reworked and engineered in to a set. Not that there’s owt wrong with that, but different strokes for different folks.
This year’s production, Neverland, was a modern day retelling of JM Barrie’s Peter Pan. After sitting down and sorting ourselves out, our attention was immediately grabbed by Tinkerbell, who was skipping around the sides of the auditorium. My son, a newcomer to the story at only three and a half years old, was instantly charmed.
A small cast of three, the story begins with the thirteen-year-old Wendy Darling who is visiting her estranged Dad’s bedsit for Christmas. Both adjusting to the recent divorce, Mr Darling – who also doubles up as the dastardly Captain Hook in some scenes – works at a nearby childrens’ home called Neverland. And it is one of his charges at the home, a young lad called Peter, who takes Wendy on an adventure while trying to avoid being rehomed by Neverland.
The energetic cast made the musical fly by and the small, circular set had walls with projections of the London street that slid back to reveal the bedsit cum children’s home cum island – a great use of space, projections and prop use that let the imagination fully roam.
With the alternative line the play takes, I’d be surprised if all the children in the audience would have realised that it was an adaptation of Peter Pan, but it was magical nonetheless. Giggles and happy noises were made by the youngsters the whole way through and my normally fidgety child didn’t attempt to escape once and his eyes only left the stage when the action briefly moved to the seating area with a fight scene.
Extra points to Lakeside for the transformation of the Wallner Gallery – in between the box office and the auditorium – into a mermaid’s lagoon and Neverland which little ones can explore and play in. A proper day out.
Neverland runs until Thursday 31 December, Lakeside, £8.50 - £9.50.
Lakeside Arts website
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