Peter Pan - Milton Keynes Theatre Review

Reviewed by Holly Proctor

Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review

The high-flying panto adventure Peter Pan has hit Milton Keynes and has brought its magic with it. Having a special place in Milton Keynes heart as the first panto ever being performed 25 years ago, this Christmas Peter Pan is back to spread joy, magic and take us all to Neverland.

Craig Revel Horwood

This panto is an utter delight to watch, there is not a moment that isn’t filled with spectacles, laughs and happiness, the songs dances and characters brings smile to all who watch and are encouraged to join Peter’s lost boys and Smee’s pirate crew, you’ll find a place to belong in this show. 

As soon as the curtain rises the stage is filled with colour, fireworks and intense life with the cast bringing a beloved story to life. Tink (Zara MacIntosh) is our guide into the story whisking us all away to fly to Neverland to learn all about the boy who never grew up and the pirate who wants to rule Neverland, the nasty Captain Hook.

With names such as Craig Revel Horwood as Hook and Max Fulham as Smee, you know you are in for a great evening. With a mix of dance offs (Strictly style) riffing off one another whilst trying to stay in characters is captivating to watch. These two on stage are a superb double act and I would love to see them in more productions together in the future, they bounce off each other's humour perfectly and even add in some unscripted ones to keep the audience on sometimes themselves on our toes. 

It would be impossible to talk about this show and not mention the incredible performance of Max Fulham, now this was the first time I’ve watched him but I will be changing this. He has such a comedic genius, with him and Gordon, his ventriloquist Monkey, they had the audience in stitches. From getting the audience involved to trying to keep a straight face when things Gordon was making funny comments made the segments even more hilarious. He is an incredibly talented performer and would love to see him rocket to stardom, he was just fabulous and deserved all the applause he got at the show, he made the show an absolute treat to watch.

The cast of Peter Pan.

Now I love Strictly and Craig Revel Horwood, so seeing him as Hook was something I was looking forward to. He takes the storybook villain and turns him into a catty diva, calling everyone Darling, whether you were the Darling children or not. Horwood takes the role past villainous to Hollywood showbiz dramatics and I loved him for it, the over-dramatics make the panto everything I wish it could be, and him performing “My Way” as his final number with full dramatic spotlight was fabulous darling. We even got to see him bust out his Strictly dancing chops which I loved, and even a few jokes at his and Strictly’s but it's a panto darling, what else did you expect? 

The cast overall is absolutely fantastic, Peter, Wendy, Tink and John all give that childlike wonder the audience is feeling and help us to believe in the magic, and a special little shoutout to Oli Manning who played Michael (his first role!) He did a wonderful job and I wish him all the best in the theatre world. Also the ensemble and acromaniacs (acrobatic maniacs), I am in awe of the talent they have, there is a full acrobatics segment in the show that will blow you away, and the dancers are a joy to watch. 

If you want a family friendly joy filled evening this Christmas head on down to Milton Keynes Theatre, Peter Pan, The Darling children, Tink and Hook and his crew are waiting for you, oh and say Hi to Gordon for me will you? 

Peter Pan runs at The Milton Keynes Theatre until Sunday 5th January 2025. Tickets are available from https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/peter-pan/milton-keynes-theatre/

Max Fulham and Gordon.