Review of The All New Adventures of Peter Pan at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

For theatres across the land, it's that time of year again. The time when the theatres fill with screaming children and a ridiculous amount of sugar intake and trips to the toilet. Yes, it is panto time, and before you say it, oh yes it is.

This year, for the Royal & Derngate, it is time for a trip to Neverland (or Forever Land, that is, but more on that later) and a magical adventure with Peter Pan and the dastardly Captain Hook. Once again, following hugely successful previous runs, Evolution Productions brings this tale to the stage in 2025. And it has to be said, once again, they strike panto gold with The All New Adventures of Peter Pan, with a constantly lively, brilliantly colourful and awkwardly funny production that, as always with Evolution, is totally family friendly.

Over the years here, Evolution and writer Paul Hendy have created the essence of pantomime (which just so happens to link to the tale within this story). Keeping all the traditions intact, a ghostly bench, a wheelbarrow of puns, a water pistol fight (the most significant and most prolonged I have ever witnessed) and audience participation, including the dame's victim, on this occasion, the deadpan and just about willing to be included, Andy. And especially with Evolution, all a glorious clean evening with no adults squirming at near the knuckle jokes.

So, our story follows the usual Peter Pan tale but also serves as a sort of "sequel" to the original. Cast out is "boring" Wendy Darling in favour of Poppy Sunshine, and we are now in the aforementioned Forever Land, for no particular reason whatsoever. Still, we will let them have that one, as I have already said, they make a cracking panto.

So, to our cast of players, heading the bill is John Thomson as Hook, and he looks like he is having tremendous fun playing the villain, doing the usual scenery-chewing and suffering those around him. He has a delightfully funny spotlight scene, allowing a perfect clowning moment, and sledehammered into a scene is a turn on the drums for him as well. However, the musical number it appears in, Sweet Child O' Mine, is perhaps the show's weakest musical link.

Perhaps weak because this is a cracking show for the rest of the musical interludes, with some neat twists on chart favourites and stage musical ones. Mixed through the evening are a poignant take on Not While I'm Around from Sweeney Todd, a clever and brilliant use of Welcome to the Rock from Come from Away at Mermaid Cove and a cracking Tina Turner double bill.

Performing those tunes in particular are the brilliant Simone Robinson, who appears as the kindly Mrs Doodle and as the trendy chavy mermaid Myrtle and alongside the petite and sweet turn of Millie Davis as the Wendy replacement Poppy Sunshine.

For those of a particular age, CBeebies star George Webster appears as the enthusiastic gang member named George, and he, alongside the very over-eager gang leader Charlie, played by Oliver Scott, with a constant bouncy personality, form a great partnership. There is a lovely performance also from Georgia Brierley-Smith as Tink, who brings her own charm to the stage.

David Breeds fits the bill as Peter Pan, but in this production, he has woefully little to do to showcase his obvious stage talents. Far less disappearing into the background is our dame, played by Gordon Cooper, back again from last year, and still has 15 years to pay on his mortgage. Here, his persona is Mrs Sweet, alongside the usual multitude of ridiculous costumes. Cooper has some great scenes with Scott's Charlie, including the inevitable pun wheelbarrow, this time with a movie-themed take, and it is, as ever, so bad it's pretty brilliant and a riotous ice cream-making sequence.

The staging of the show looks fabulous, with massive, colourful sets as expected and very bright lighting. At times, the microphones are just a little high, losing some clarity from the dialogue and lyrics, but it is panto after all, so everything needs to be big and bold. Also utilised extremely well is some videography that first shows its appearance in a fabulous, shimmering dreamscape and then assists Poppy and Tink on their journey to Never, I mean Forever Land.

Peter Pan at Derngate is fabulous entertainment, with Evolution and Paul Hendy, alongside excellent direction by Emily Wood and Gordon Cooper, bringing a hugely thrilling pantomime to the stage. It is, of course, more of the same we see every year, but presented with just a glorious sheen to keep children of all ages entertained. If you head to just one panto this year, you won't be disappointed with Pan.

Nothing to Pan about Peter this year.  A glorious family-friendly adventure.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday, 9th December 2025, at the Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

Peter Pan is at Royal & Derngate until Wednesday, 31st December 2025.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate and to book tickets, see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Production photos: Pamela Raith Photography