Theatre Review: Peter Pan Goes Wrong

The main mission of theatre company Mischief (established 2008) is to make mischief happen onstage, and Peter Pan Goes Wrong is no exception! This play, co-written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, was originally debuted in 2013 at Pleasance London and has been bringing joy and laughter to audiences ever since. It has now embarked on a 2023/24 UK tour, with Wolverhampton Grand Theatre being the first stop just in time for half-term fun for all families.

Peter Pan is your classic childhood fairytale, yet the premise of Peter Pan Goes Wrong considers what mayhem could occur if a hypothetical University drama society, Cornley Polytechnic, were to put on this much-loved story. It is a metatheatrical comedy filled with a wide variety of hilarious disasters, including collapsing scenery, power cuts, and wardrobe malfunctions galore.

The show is immersive as soon as you enter the auditorium

The show is immersive as soon as you enter the auditorium, with the character versions of the stage managers interacting with audience members whilst searching for various missing props. This transports the audience into the play-within-a-play concept right from the first moment, and equally builds a lot of anticipation for the start of the performance.

One of the most thrilling moments of Peter Pan Goes Wrong is the comical sequence in the ‘Yoho a Pirate’s Life’ song during Act 2. The use of a revolving set is impressively put to the test to consecutively show multiple locations – from the pirate ship to the Lost Boys’ hideout – as the scenery rotates mid-song. This means that audience members are transported to countless vignettes in a montage-style sequence that builds on the storylines both on and offstage all in the spirit of musical madness.

Jean-Luke Worrell gives an outstanding performance as both the Narrator and Cecco the pirate. His comic timing is fantastic, and he always enters the stage with a dazzling amount of glitter and pizzazz. His characterisation is brilliantly larger than life and really helps immerse the audience into the metatheatrical treat that is Peter Pan Goes Wrong. Several other cast members (such as Jamie Birkett who plays Annie) also prove their talent through multi-roling many distinct characters with ease and flare.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a guaranteed onstage treat

One simply cannot watch the show without giving a special mention to Roberto Surace’s costume design, particularly Tinker Bell’s dress. This outfit is dazzlingly delightful, incorporating some very apt fairy lights onto the skirt that successfully change colour to match Tinker Bell’s mood. There are occasional moments where the show’s pacing is a bit too slow, meaning some of the jokes drag on slightly too long, such as the Act 2 opening. However, the overall performance is fantastically artistic and comedic with clever attention to detail throughout most of the show.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a guaranteed onstage treat that will make you leave the theatre weeping with laughter. It is a finely-crafted comedic catastrophe filled with a brilliant cast of characters and an impressive revolving set design created by Simon Scullion.