Peter Pan, Birmingham Hippodrome Review
Alison Hammond as the Magical Mermaid, Rhiannon Chesterman as Wendy and Noah Harrison as Peter Pan in Peter Pan at Birmingham Hippodrome. Photo by Paul Coltas
Written by Roni for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
It’s panto season once more (oh yes it is!) and this year Peter Pan is making its way to the Birmingham Hippodrome stage during their 125th year. As always, families young and old will be flocking to see the show for some festive cheer – will this production soar, or could it fall flat?
One thing that the Hippodrome knows how to do well is a thoroughly stunning set, and this one is no exception. As soon as you enter the house you can hear gasps and a chorus of ‘wow’. There’s colour, sparkle, and more sequins than you could shake a stick at. The costuming is no different, with every single piece more visually striking and grand than the last. This is a show that is not afraid to go all out and give you your money's worth, and it will leave kids of all ages agog. As always, and as is pointed out in the show, there is little in the way of plot or indeed a script here, but if you’re coming expecting a solid storyline, I fear you may be at the wrong show.
Of course, the real spectacle here is this spectacular cast, featuring some new faces and returning Brummie favourites. Billie Kay is back this time as Tinkerbell, having performed in Jack and the Beanstalk last year. She is both feisty and engaging as the pint sized fairy (and she certainly knows how to handle a technical difficulty). New to Birmingham this year are Noah Harrison as Peter Pan and Danny Mac as the villainous captain hook. Noah brings plenty of cheeky, immature charm to Peter, and is able to hold his own against some very big characters. Danny very much suits a panto villain and seems to be in his element, lapping up the booing audience and navigating others attempts to cause chaos. This brings us nicely onto Matt Slack, Birmingham’s panto king now in his 11th consecutive year at the Hippodrome. Matt is on top form as ever, keeping the whole audience and his fellow castmates in stitches open brackets even when he's not supposed to close brackets. It's rare to find somebody that you can watch do very similar material year on year and still find it just as hilarious as the first time- it's easy to see why Matt is asked back every year. The jewel in this Brummie crown however is another returnee- our very own local legend Alison Hammond, who is back for her second year at the Hippodrome. She is shimmering this year as the magical mermaid, and it’s clear to see that everyone both on and off stage is in love with her and her infectious laugh.
Overall, it’s extremely obvious here why Birmingham’s panto draws in such huge audiences year on year. The production value and attention to detail is incredible, there’s a genuine laugh a minute, and it’s impossible to not come away with your cheeks sore from smiling. This is a show guaranteed to bring you a holly, jolly time.
At Birmingham Hippodrome until 2 Feb 2025.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
