BLUE Genie entertainment have created something special over
the years in Whitley Bay, which is why it is always a joy to have this venue on
my panto list. Though of course the real reason I and many others return is
because of Steve Walls. He has made this theatre his own during panto season,
and where other theatres that use the same cast each year can become a little
stale, that can’t be said of Whitley Bay with Steve Walls playing Smee ‘this
year.’ His quick one liners and instant rapport with the audience, means you
know you are in good hands for the entire show. This is by no means a one man
show Producer Gary Telfer and Writer / Director Paul Ferguson know just how to
create the perfect panto and it is certainly a team effort.
Antony Costa, from boy band Blue, plays Peter Pan,
refreshingly Antony knows exactly how to play the panto baddie and works the
audience perfectly, delighting the audience with the Blue mega mix finale. The
other baddies were made up, unusually of the dame - Pirate Patsy, Daniel
Mawston, who is wonderfully over the top, and Smee’s sidekick of Starkey, Ben
Hanson, who makes the perfect partner for Steve.
On my visit Michael and John Darling were played by Lucas
Melrose-Steel and Zachariah Hardy, who made up the Blue Team, both put in
tremendous performances and I am sure we will see them on stage again in professional
productions. Peter Pan, Sam Ebenezer, is full of energy and Jessica Pease as Wendy
produces just the right amount of innocence for the role.
Choreography is slick and sharp, with the wonderfully
talented dancer Mary J Proud returning and also playing Tiger Lily.
This show is everything you would expect from panto with
just a little bit more and yes the bench is back!
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