Review // Peter Pan / The Lyric Theatre

The story of JM Barrie’s Peter Pan and his band of Lost Boys is a familiar one, but by taking that magical tale and turning it into a musical, this production by Paul Boyd suddenly becomes a bit more novel than what you may be expecting.

Neverland is in crisis.  Pirates have arrived on the island and the Neverlanders are trying to keep them away.  Things are so bad that the fairies have gone into hiding and the mermaids haven’t been seen in the open ocean since the battle began.

Peter Pan asks Wendy, John, and Michael if they will fly with him – second to the right and straight on till morning – to join Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys, to help free Neverland from Captain Hook’s men; but Wendy thinks it sounds much too dangerous.

With fairies, crocodiles, flying children, and mermaids, join the Darling children as they embark on the most magical adventure – where Hook and the crew of the Jolly Roger come face to face with all of Neverland and the boy who won’t grow up.

Imagine the well-known classic you already know, add some cracker songs and flip the script when it comes to some of the beloved characters and you’ll get a taste for Peter Pan – The Musical at The Lyric Theatre in Belfast.

There’s singing male mermaids, a superbly terrifying female Captain Hook played by Allison Harding and even a reappearance from the crocodile used in recent production Crocodile Fever to add to the fantastical nature of the show. Michael Mahoney dazzles as a scruffy Peter Pan, while Rhiannon Chesterman plays a much more put together Wendy Darling. 

Musically, the songs are really catchy if a little ballady when there’s no dancing to accompany them, and there’s a sort of anarchistic, apocalyptic feel to the music which is mirrored in the costuming and unruliness of the group of Lost Boys (played by a top class young ensemble cast). Tiger Lily, played by Colette Lennon Dougal and her father Great Big Little Panther, played by Alan Richardson sing a Moana-esque song from the balcony seats which was my personal favourite and I’m not too proud to admit that I’ve found myself humming it since.

The action doesn’t just stay on the stage either, with actors appearing in all sorts of places, and it all helps to add to the feeling that you’re in the story too – just like the Darling children feel when they’re reading the story of Peter Pan. 

At almost two and half hours (including interval), the show may be a little long for many of the younger children in the audience, but overall this production definitely manages to keep the magic alive for everyone at The Lyric this Christmas. 

Peter Pan runs until 4th January 2020, to find out more information or to buy tickets click here.