Writer: J M Barrie
Adaptors: Harry Michaels and Matt Slack
Director: Michael Harrison
It’s panto time again at the Hippodrome and Slack is back – and it’s a feast for the eyes as always.
This year we travel into the world of J M Barrie and his classic, Peter Pan. As usual, the team at the Hippodrome and Crossroads Pantomimes has pulled out all the stops to make it as big an event as possible. The focus has shifted from some previous years, which have been largely around spectacle and illusion (after all, they would struggle to compete with last year’s beanstalk growing out of the stalls) and more towards making it as lavish and glamorous as possible. It hits you right from the start – the opulent showcloth, gold and blue and glittering, makes way for a big opening production number with stacks of pyrotechnics, which introduces many of the cast members. It’s another stunning set design from Mark Walters.See AlsoBritish comedian tops 2024 rich list thanks to £27MILLION tourPeter Kay Tops 2024 UK Rich List After Earning Over £27MILLION From His Residency Tour11 big events happening in Nottingham in 2025Peter Kay @ Villa Marina
There’s a saying about not changing a winning formula and so we see many of last year’s cast returning for this production. Star attraction for many is the now-regular Matt Slack, back for his eleventh year. You always know what you’re going to get with Slack – as his annual running gag says, “my name is Mr Smee – this year”. Slack is a consummate performer on stage and a guaranteed safe pair of hands and seat-filler. He always seems entirely comfortable, whether doing his comedy impressions, talking with the young audience members on stage, or engaging in off-script banter with other cast members. Over the past few years, it’s felt increasingly like it’s becoming the Matt Slack show, but that’s not the case here – the stage time feels far more balanced, and the show is all the better for it.
Panto regular and dame extraordinaire Andrew Ryan returns for his eighth Hippodrome panto as Mrs Sylvia Smee. Ryan is another safe pair of hands in the dame role – he’s played it for 34 years, after all – and can always be relied on to keep things on track if they start to stray too far from the script. Billie-Kay is back too, this time in the role of Tink. Last year it felt as though she hadn’t been given much to do, but that’s not the case here. It’s a role that carries a lot of the plot, and she also gets an opportunity to show off her powerful vocal skills to good advantage too.
Playing the panto villain we have Danny Mac as Captain Hook. Another performer with a glorious voice, it’s a shame we don’t get to hear more from him, but he makes up for it with his comedy skills. He’s not afraid to go off script with Slack either, and easily holds his own in the process. We’ve seen him before at the Hippodrome panto, and judging from this performance this is unlikely to be the last time he’s here. Then we have Birmingham favourite Alison Hammond, this time as the Magical Mermaid. She’s another popular choice and clearly feels totally at home on the Hippodrome stage. The chemistry between Hammond and Slack is palpable, and they seem to relish performing together. This rapport between cast members all adds to the experience for the audience – especially in panto when things are actually allowed to go wrong and wander away from the script.
Completing a strong cast we have Noah Harrison as Peter and Rhiannon Chesterman as Wendy, neither of them massively used in a story that was originally about them, though we can see there are some good voices if given the chance to show them, with Cian Hughes as John and one of three young actors as Michael, who appear very little in the production. It’s hardly surprising though – this is panto after all, and similarities with Barrie’s original work are minimal. We do get a crocodile, a huge and impressive thing, but which appears only once for a few seconds. We get, briefly, Nana the dog, and the main characters are obviously here. Fortunately, there is no Tiger Lily nor North American racial stereotypes, but there is a flying car. As Sylvia Smee sings “Whatever happened to the plot? Is there a story? Not a lot.” Does anyone care though? From audience reaction, not one bit.
With its many dozens of wigs and numerous hundreds of sparkling costumes, this is a show full of glamour. Even the dame costumes have moved away from the daft and outrageous towards glitz and elegance. Feathers abound, and the all-gold finale wraps up the theme for the evening neatly.See Also11 of the biggest concerts and gigs coming to West Yorkshire in 2025
It’s a panto that’ll have you Hook-ed from start to end.
Runs until 2 February 2025
The Reviews Hub Score
You'll be Hook-ed from start to end
Tags
Alison Hammond Andrew Ryan Billie Kay Birmingham Birmingham Hippodrome Crossroads Pantomimes Danny Mac Harry Michaels J M Barrie Mark Walters Matt Slack Michael Harrison Noah Harrison Peter Pan Rhiannon Chesterman