Chaos. Pure, gleeful, unadulterated chaos. For those familiar with Mischief Theatre, it should come as no surprise that the return of Peter Pan Goes Wrong to the West End after six years is a raucous ride from start to finish, as the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society put their singular brain cell towards retelling the tale of Peter Pan. As you can imagine, it all goes spectacularly wrong, in ways that might even surprise long time fans of Mischief.

Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, and with a run time of two hours, including interval, Peter Pan Goes Wrong blazes a trail of comedic carnage, telling twin tales of Peter Pan and the well-meaning company attempting to mount the show. Putting on a show is no easy feat, as I'm sure the members of Cornley Polytechnic will attest, and an intentionally chaotic show can be even harder, yet what follows is a tight, well-oiled machine, as every piece on the production moves in clockwork harmony.

The cast is full of comedic powerhouses, many familiar to fans of Mischief, and each amazing in their own right, with special mention to Harry Kershaw and some amazingly crowd work. As pieces of the revolving set fall apart and costume mishaps abound, tactfully designed by Simon Scullion and Roberto Surace respectively, one can only imagine how meticulously this piece has been crafted behind the scenes. Every joke, every beat lands perfectly, and this latest iteration, directed with deft hand by Adam Meggido, feels like a warming salve in this colder holiday season, and the Lyric Theatre echoes with laughter for the entire two-hour run time.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong continues Mischief Theatre’s trend of brilliance, and while decidedly not a panto, it is the perfect show for the season.

Being wrong has never felt so right!

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Jack Francis

Peter Pan Goes Wrong plays at London’s Lyric Theatre until 14 January 2024 before continuing its tour. Tickets for both productions can be purchased here.