Thirds Trip to Peter Pan

For their first theatre trip, in conjunction with their English lessons, this year’s Thirds were as excited as the titular airborne adventurer they were going to see. The REP’s adaptation had transplanted the Darling family from Victorian London to a Bordesley Green council estate, with many of the young cast sporting varied Birmingham accents. The Darlings themselves were, perhaps with a nod to the original author’s heritage, Scottish as well as being a foster family rather than the traditional nuclear one. The action was soon transported to Neverland where the impressive set transformed from council house, to the Lost Boys’ hideout, to a pirate galleon and even to an undersea cavern! With many of the cast doubling up in roles from scene to scene, the audience were treated to several musical numbers with a contemporary feel. With the actors suspended by aerial trapeze cords and leaping off every wall of the scenery, the ‘flying’ scenes were particularly convincing. With the addition of an interval for ice cream, many of the Thirds were ‘flying for the second star to the right and straight on until morning’.