This Christmas sees Wicked Productions return to the EM Forster Theatre with their rendition of JM Barrie’s classic tale of Peter Pan. The 2.5 hour show runs through until January 5th with multiple performances taking place every day except Christmas Day and New Year.
The pantomime stars local legend Tom Swift as the cheeky pirate Smee (we loved him last year in Alice in Wonderland); Michael Fenton Stevens as the gorgeous Sea Dog Sally; Chris Ellison (Burnside from the Bill) as token baddie Captain Hook and David Young as Peter Pan.
Tickets are priced from £18 with family tickets (2 adults & 2 children) priced at £62. There are still tickets available for most performance and can be booked here.
Our thoughts…
I attended Saturday’s performance with my 4 year old son and can honestly say we both LOVED every minute. Logan was shouting ‘he’s behind you!’ with full vigour, whilst I was in stitches every time guests on the front row fell victim to Smee’s embarrassing jokes.
Highlights that really stand out include:
The incredible ‘If I didn’t work for Captain Hook’ scene was not only side-splittingly funny…but also incredible to watch! How the cast remember all their actions whilst keeping a straight face is truly impressive.
We loved the special effects in the scene where Peter Pan and Wendy fly above the London skyline. There’s also a brilliant fluorescent underwater scene where Smee meets a number of sea creatures.
I found Smee’s ‘Kiss it better’ gag hilarious. He begins by banging his leg needing a kiss from the audience in order to continue with the show…however as the performance goes on he injures a number of other body parts. You’ll have to wait and see what happens…
If you’re familiar with Wicked Productions you’ll know they love a Boombox scene. This was the absolute highlight for me with Smee desperately trying to woo one of the unsuspecting audience members with his rendition of ‘Mr Loverman’ amongst other cringey love songs. Be warned…if you’re sat in the front row you may well become a very important part of the cast!
Lastly I wanted to highlight how easy it was to visit the EM Forster Theatre. This was the first time I’d visited this venue which is actually on the site of Tonbridge School. Parking was free and right in front of the theatre whilst the auditorium is small, intimate and very comfortable. The facilities are well laid out and easily accessible making the whole experience, particularly with young children surprisingly relaxed and stress free. Plus…the school grounds are amazing! Almost Harry Potter-esque which only adds to the excitement.
Peter Pan is on right through the Christmas holidays until January 5th. I highly recommend a visit. Full details can be found here.
