Laugh-a-minute, even more pyrotechnics than pirates, big, bold and brummie- The Hippodrome never misses with its annual pantomimes, and this year’s Peter Pan was no exception. Celebrating this iconic venue’s 125th anniversary, the show was a perfect way to ring out 2024 or to ring in 2025. The production value was unbeatable, with not only flying children but flying cars, an enormous moving, breathing mechanised crocodile, and a seamlessly changing set. Even before the show had started, a sweeping soundtrack and starry projections coruscating across the ceiling made me feel like I was 10 years old again: enchanted and excited for the curtain to rise.

With the audience swiftly introduced to the cast and sprinkled in fairy dust (confetti) the show took off. It soon became clear just why the headlining actors are promoted so strongly. The resident dame Andrew Ryan was truly, as Matt Slack later said, “one of the best dames in the business”. Playing Mrs Smee, his performance saw costume change after costume change, each more fantastical. Though Ryan is of course to be applauded for his comedy brilliance, one stand out moment of his performance came during the song ‘I Am What I Am’. With lyrics of self-acceptance and celebrating one another, the song beautifully captured the joy of pantomime as a longstanding inclusive space. Ryan’s vocal talents were outstanding, as were the brilliant dance troupe. Segueing into Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, with the soundtrack fusing pop with space age and the stage lights pulsing in red, the scene was brilliantly bonkers.

As the plot carried on, perhaps slowly losing its way, Matt Slack provided stand-up style sets of comedy that punctuated perfectly and appealed to every kind of humour. Running through a series of flags and word play, or later performing a brilliant set of impressions, he demonstrated just why he is the Hippodrome’s star pantomime performer. Recognising regulars in the crowd, and with a merchandise stand in the foyer, it was clear that he both loved and was loved by the audience.

With the show’s third big name being Birmingham-born local Alison Hammond, there was also a strong sense of local pride throughout the show. Breaking the fourth wall to poke fun at the audience, Hammond and Slack packed the performance with references to the “dangers of Coventry” and the “posh box members from Solihul”. Hammond herself was a delight onstage, enchanting the children and adults alike. Though her presence and purpose was somewhat minimal, and reminiscent of theatre’s current tired trend of using celebrities to sell out seats, Hammond’s “babs” and “huns” made the audience feel right at home.

The second act opened promisingly with sparkles, sea creatures, and a dynamic routine to ‘Boogie Wonderland’ but energy had begun to dwindle. The never-ending rendition of ‘A Sailor Went To Sea’ was long winded and one filler too far, though ultimately the target audience of under-tens remained captivated. Meanwhile, the brilliant script sought to catch any doubts audience members might have with Ryan performing a brief rendition of ‘What Happened To The Plot’ at this very moment. Pace was largely maintained with Danny Mac’s perfectly over-the-top villainous performance as Captain Hook. Though Slack accidentally yanked off Mac’s hook at one point, with Mac struggling to recover from his corpsing, their improvised dialogue only furthered the comedy value and added an expected spontaneity to the otherwise predictable elements of pantomime.

Finishing with bringing up several precocious audience members onstage and a full cast costume change, Mac and his co-stars shone right until the curtain dropped. Taking the time to address the audience personally, it was a delight to see such local pride and talent bringing not only Neverland but Birmingham together for one magical night.

Peter Pan runs at the Birmingham Hippodrome until Sunday 2nd February 2025

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