Scores of families have been whisked away to Neverland thanks to the Cotswold Players recent production of the much-loved children's classic Peter Pan. Two reviewers give their views on the show for those who couldn't make it.

REVIEW

Peter Pan Cotswold Playhouse January 2006

THE COTSWOLD Players' production of Peter Pan was a triumphant vindication of the company's bid to raise another £127,000 to complete the restoration of its historic home theatre.

This was amateur dramatics at its finest, neither amateur nor histrionic, a timely application to set before the Arts Council and Stroud District Council for funding.

From the moment Liza (Denise Humphries) steps out pre the first curtain to admonish the audience on the use of mobile phones (multiplex cinemas please note) and its dress sense, through to an inspired Hook (Anthony Young), there was barely a false step.

Here was why JM Barrie's fantasy classic, reworked as a musical by Piers Chater-Robinson in 1985, has become an icon of English theatre.

It was a wonderfully English show, using pantomime to slowly involve the audience until they are forced in the second half to swear that they believe in fairies in order to save Tinkerbell.

The leads Sara Davis-Berry as Wendy and Richard Loftus as Peter Pan were believably young.

Young's Hook was at times camp, funny, playful, and wonderfully, gutturally evil.

His pirates especially Smee (Dave Kilmister) and Starkey (Chris Robinson) were caustically brilliant in support.

And the company singing and dancing, especially in numbers like The Darlings, Rich Damp Cake and Braves to War were rousingly entertaining.

Apart from a week of Edwardian music hall in April, this was the Cotswold Players' temporary farewell to their home.

They will hopefully return in revamped surroundings for Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit in October.

It was a farewell that will be fondly remembered by everyone who got to see it.

Drew Smith

PETER Pan may be a hundred years old but the play, despite its outdated attitudes, remains, like its star, eternally young.

I wondered if today's sophisticated youngsters would fall under its spell but at Peter's plea for faith in fairies, the whole audience was on their feet and clapping like crazy.

Richard Loftus, as Peter, had just the right air of unworldliness and his relationship with Wendy (Sarah Davis-Berry) was sensitively drawn.

Anthony Young was compelling as sleek Mr Darling and villainous Captain Hook, while Nathan King added humour with reliable old Nana and the ticking crocodile.

Technical demands were well met in spite of minor mishaps.

A large supporting cast of lost boys, pirates and Indians squeezed on to the small stage with well-rehearsed singing and dancing, while simple sets convincingly portrayed the magical flight from suburban bedroom to Neverland.

Reluctantly we left Peter to dream on as we returned to the reality of dark and dismal January in Stroud.

Sheila Maddock