Review: Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal Newcastle

Father and son duo Clive Webb and Danny Adams lead the audience expertly through the story of Peter Pan and turned the slapstickometer up to 11.

It is the 13th year the trio have worked together on the annual pantomime at Newcastle Theatre Royal and they have come up with their most successful yet.

Danny, energetic as ever with his perfectly timed catchphrases - 'acciderrrnt' and 'he killed the pigeon', played Peter Pan and was bouyed as he exclaimed he 'is a real actor in the lead role for a change'.

Clive Webb played Smee as the pair took the audience young and old through the storyline of thrill and spills in thre near two-and-a-half hour show.

Chris Hayward starred in his 11th consecutive pantomime at the Theatre Royal and his cry of 'hello me bonny bairns' was warmly welcomed by show regulars with their emphatic responses of 'hiya hinny'.

The villainous Captain Hook rose to the boos and jeers of the audience and perfectly filled the baddy's boots, which he has held for the last eight consecutive years in the region's most successful panto.

The team have worked together so long and can read each other's performances so well that the apparent mishaps become the best moments of the evening and raise the most laughs.

There were many highlights and from the opening scene the audience is taken on a rollercoaster ride.

Circus-born Sascha Williams and Stephanie Nock, as the drunken pirates, had people on the edge of their seats with a breath-taking interlude that sees Sascha using his Rola Rola skills in a death-defying balancing act that must be 20ft high off the stage.

The Timbuktu Tumblers also gave awe-inspiring performances as the Neverlanders and added to the show's energetic pace and exotic vibe.

Yet again the Theatre Royal has come up with an amazing production that is set to delight thousands in the festive period with a show that has become an annual highlight.

And the standard shows in that Danny and his brother Michael Potts, who plays the Lost Idiot, have filmed a pilot CBBC episode called Danny.

Although it would be a delight for people nationwide to enjoy our secret gem which we have enjoyed every year for over a decade, I'm sure fans will be hoping it does not mean we will lose the star of this brilliant annual panto.

But we will be seeing Danny, Clive, Chris and the team return next year when they bring Goldilocks and the Three Bears to the Theatre Royal. Bring it on.