By Conor O’Neill
It’s that time of the year again, PANTO season is in the air, and where better to get your fix than Belfast’s greatest showroom, The Grand Opera House. Yes, the night is to be filled with children’s screams and the usual ‘Oh not it isn’t, Oh yes it is!’ but this is a show designed with kids in mind and my golly-golf-balls, they lap it up like fun-thirsty-feisty-fellows at a deserted desert oasis.
Of course, what would be a Grand opera House without the legendary duo of May McFettridge who has been doing the panto here since 1990, not too bad for a discerning lady in her 30s, or so she keeps reminding us! Throw in her ever-present sidekick Paddy Jenkins and you’ve a recipe for a hilarious night ; these two go together like bacon and eggs, cheese and toast or gift vouchers and those people you can’t be bothered to put any thought into what to get them for Christmas.
From the start it’s well mannered and well meaning sketch show humour, about 50 per cent of which will go over the heads of the children, and that’s exactly where the writers here are aiming. Big slapstick comic acts for the lids, little knowing jokes for the adults.
As per usual with McFettridge in tow, the audience, especially those at the front, aren’t safe from the Dame’s twisted tongue and mind, geograohy is enough to feel her wrath, so too is age, ‘You couldn’t get her age with three darts’ is just one that sticks in my mind. Her co-stars aren’t safe either, especially Captain Hook, who’s played wonderfully by Jolene O’Hara. Tinkerbell, this year shortened to ‘Tink’ (Georgia Brierly-Smith) narrates the show, with Wendy (Aisling Sharkey) also giving a good account of herself.
When I say ‘narrrates’ is use the word lightly, the plot is hard to find, but the kids here aren’t looking for well crafted, multidimensional creative story arcs, they just want fits and giggles, and the 19 strong cast do not fail to deliver. For no reason at all there’s a five minute acrobat routine slap bang in the middle of the story. The four man troop called The Acromaniacs, along with McFettridge and Jenkins dazzle to minors with comic demonstration of vault jumoing. Adam C Booth as Smee provides vocabularly gymnastics with the ear-to-ear worthy flag pun scene. That alone is worth the ticket price for the adults, though one is left wondering what the little are left thinking during this two to three minute routine.
Bright lights, check, even brighter costumes, check, comedic writing and delivery, check, all has been mentioned barring the music@ 16 tracks are included in this two hour romp of a night. Wendy, Jordan Walker as Peter Pan, and Captain Hook all impress with their vocal range, and the band that is in the pit, led by musical director Philip Shute pass muster too. Everything about the night exudes the manic professionalism we’ve come to expect from McFettridge and company.
Overall you’ll be promised a night of fun, some of the jokes will go over the kids heads, but with physical humour at its core Peter Pan is one hell of a night out for both kids and adults alike.
They’re already selling tickets fro December 2025, my suggestion to you mums and dads out there is to get booking quickly.
Peter Pan runs at the Grand Opera House up to and including Sunday, January 12th, 2025.
For times and booking details visit http://www.goh.co.uk or simply phone the box office on 02890 241919.
ENDS
CultureCrush NI 