Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield

Writer: J.M. Barrie

Adaptor: Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields

Director: Adam Meggido

Anyone who has ever spent even a little bit of time around their local am dram theatre scene will know that the entire thing is a hot bed of internal politics, secret relationships, and varying levels of talent in the cast, crew and even sometimes the set. All of these are on display, in a not actually that exaggerated way, in Mischief Theatre’s Peter Pan Goes Wrong.

As implied by the name, this is a show in which everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a whirlwind tour through J. M. Barrie’s famous story of the boy who refused to grow up, and his midnight adventure with the three Darling Children, told via falling down sets, technical mishaps, and a lot of wardrobe malfunctions. But it is also a play (and definitely a play, not a Pantomime, oh no it isn’t) within a play, as we are also introduced to the members of Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, the wider company we are told are performing said show, with a much bigger budget than they usually get at their local theatre.

Anyone who has seen Mischief Theatre’s other productions, The Play That Goes Wrong, Magic Goes Wrong or the TV show The Goes Wrong Show, knows what they are getting into. It’s immediately apparent what some of the issues are going to be, both those built into Simon Scullion’s fantastically designed revolving set, and within the interpersonal interactions between the actors, but a lot will also be a complete surprise. This means the audience gets a balance of being satisfyingly correct, and still also absolutely blindsided by a well-executed stunt. Unfortunately however, a lot of the ‘going wrong’ becomes slightly repetitive towards Act 2 – nearly every cast member has ended up in their underwear (or less) by then, and it’s possible to lose track of how many times someone has been bashed on the head. A lot of the mistakes also rely on being meta-plot based rather than practical effects, such as regular use of accidentally prerecorded discussions being played instead of the expected sound effect. While this is still always hilarious and has kept the format fresh by focusing more on the characters than the stage teams technical prowess, it does mean that Peter Pan Goes Wrong doesn’t have the overall charm and genuine shock value of Mischief Theatre’s previous offerings.

Which doesn’t mean there aren’t some side splittingly wonderful set pieces. Jean-Luke Worrell as Francis the Narrator is a joy to watch in all his glorious campness, and his rendition of Hey Big Spender is a particular highlight. Jack Michael Stacey’s rant while trying to overact a serious Captain Hook against a backdrop of “He’s behind you”s is fabulously pointed and shows some great audience interaction skills (“What do you have Sheffield? A University and some cutlery!” was particularly inspired in this performance – although it must be noted there are two Universities actually, and they’re very proud of that!). And, of course, the team of stage crew and technicians who cue and control all of the errors are slick, professional and very well deserving of being brought out for a bow at the end.

While Peter Pan Goes Wrong might not quite capture the high of the others in the series, it is still a gleefully recommended night out. The laughs come thick and fast, equally so from both established fans and those new to the format. For anyone who might be missing the Christmas Panto season, this is the show to scratch the itch. Get there early to watch the preshow – if you’re in the stalls you might even be summoned to help.

Runs until Saturday 24 February 2024