Directed by
Choreographed by
Musical Director
In arrangement with
On behalf of
Beckie Clark
Emily Cook
Ed Greenhalgh
Josef Weinburger
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Team Port
Gordon Harris - District 5 NODA Representative
Act 1, you did yourselves PROUD to come from your usual venue to a proper theatre, The Theatre Royal Margate. What a transfer!!!
Your production of J M Barrie’s Peter Pan was directed by Beckie Clark to a great height for you, and that wasn’t just the flying, executed brilliantly by Beckie Clark herself.
Being a youth production there is always a vast amount of talent on stage and this certainly showed in Alfie Murray as Peter, a tall young man with a good stage presence and with good singing and acting ability.
This production had all the right elements, and all these were in place for a good evenings entertainment. Musically very sound under baton of Edward Greenhalgh and dance by Emily Cook. There are 2 teams of children, Port and Starboard I saw Port, and I am presuming Starboard are of the same high standard as Port.
Ben Clark as Captain Hook commanded the stage, his transformation from Hook to Darling was smooth and he was aptly teamed in the cast with Emily Cook as Mrs Darling and Story Teller Melissa Maxted.
Costumes were excellent and so were your props, a good looking programme with a nice section on NODA,thank you.
Yes there were a few things that have could been tightened, but this review is not meant to knock these, I have had a word in the right area, and remember this is only my opinion.
I congratulate Act1 on their 10 year anniversary and if you carry on like this you will be reaching greater heights in the amateur theatre, I have seen you go from strength to strength, so keep going Act 1, and I look forward to seeing you very soon again, you set out to entertain and you always certainly entertain me on every visit.
Well done and keep it up.
Team Starboard
The cast of Act 1 performed in the Theatre Royal for their opening show tonight of Peter Pan a Musical Adventure by Stiles and Drewe.
Act 1 is a local theatre group that have the ethos of “letting everyone have a chance to shine “giving the opportunity to perform for a cast varying in age from 7 upwards. The enthusiasm of the performers was evident and the production directed by Beckie Friday and Choreographed by Emily Cook delighted the audience throughout.
The story, told through by the Storyteller, Melissa Maxted, follows Peter Pan, Wendy, John and Michael in their adventures in Neverland, where they meet Pirates, Indians and the Lost Boys. It was brought to life before us with the use of an amazing set which allowed the cast to clamber all over it, adding that extra dimension.
Alfie Murray played a cocky Peter Pan, flying across the stage with finesse. His obvious relieve at the survival of Tinkerbell had the audience cheering.
The youth cast list is split into 2 groups. Wendy was played by Mary Peskett, who embodied the qualities of a true English rose beautifully, portraying the sweet, motherly girl very well. Jack Whitehead and Rowan Tyler worked well together as her two younger brothers.
The lost boys brought attitude, humour and havoc to the stage with their antics and gave Hook played by Ben Clark and the pirates a troublesome time.
Imogen Collins played a believable Tigerlily and together with the Indians and water creatures added some fine dancing to the show.
The musical numbers interspersed the performance, but the song “Just beyond the stars” sung by Emily Cook as Mrs Darling was exceptional.The most enjoyable thing for me was the portrayal of Hook, the malevolence and evil intent were portrayed superbly and the fight scenes added a bit of excitement too.
This is truly an ensemble show, with everyone onstage adding something to the performance.All in all this is a family show not to be missed it is running at the Theatre Royal until Saturday 9th at 7.30 nightly and 2.30pm matinee on Saturday. £10 adult, £6 children and a family ticket of £24.
Team Port
BEACH-WALK-MUSE REVIEWSushmita C Targett
If Peter Pan is showing at your local theatre during the summer holidays and you don’t take your kids to it that makes you a BAD parent!
Of course I am a good one, and so I let the kids tag along with me to review the play at the historical Theatre Royal in our little seaside town of Margate, where the town’s amateur Act 1 Theatre Group offered a funny, heart-warming and a larger than life rendition of the JM Barrie classic.
You are more than likely familiar with the story, but briefly, one evening, after the Darling family’s children have been put to bed, Peter Pan comes to their nursery looking for his lost shadow! Caught red-handed by Wendy, Peter Pan convinces her to travel to Neverland with him. Wendy, along with her siblings flies into the thrilling and exciting world of Neverland, where the Lost Boys run riot and face off against the nefarious pirate crew led by Captain Hook.
In this production, Captain Hook, ably played by an engagingly loud Ben Clark – also standing in as Mr Darling – holds the stage well amidst a simpering collection of androgynous pirates! Mermaids, the Indians and Tinker Bell all make their necessary appearances.
The protagonist is played by Alfie Murray, with a warm, gentle stage presence and youth contributes the right amount of playfulness required for the role – although early in the play his mic slips and it’s hard to hear him (soon fixed after a change of set). Wendy is played by Maisie Waller who is impressively prim, prompt with her lines and pulls off the mix of maternal and young beautifully!
Director Rebecca Clark did a commendable job with the character of our favourite Tinker Bell: We could only see a tiny blue LED, representing the fairy; boy was there a commotion in the room when Tinker Bell died!
Peter Pan chanted, “I believe in fairies” repeatedly to bring Tinker Bell back to life and I have to admit, I, for a second wanted to chant, “I believe in fairies” myself. There was an opportunity for the audiences to participate right there, although one perhaps not fully capitalised on by the cast, who could have brought in the audience a bit more.
Everything from the set design to the traditional costumes was splendid! The cast seemed together and had an infectious energy on stage. As a musical, vocal abilities were naturally mixed but by and large confident, unpretentious, well projected and nicely pitched.
This was my first time watching a Peter Pan performance on stage. But I have read the book before and I can tell that the play was as compelling if not more, thanks to a great production by a young cast who kept my childrens’ attention well. Theatre Royal is a fantastic, intimate venue and it was great to see the stalls nearly full of families.