Review: PETER PANTO AND THE INCREDIBLE STINKERBELL, Tron Theatre
Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
Johnny McKnight’s Peter Panto and the Incredible Stinkerbell is a vibrant, hilarious adaptation of the classic J.M. Barrie story. It’s full of pop culture references ranging from TikTok dances to Balamory, cheeky digs at other Glaswegian theatres, and a huge heart, dismissing heteronormativity and proclaiming that “here at the Tron, love is love”.
Wendy lives with her parents, Mr and Mrs Darling-Darling, in Glasgow’s West End. The Darling-Darlings are caricatures of the West End’s residents; posh, well-heeled and more interested in parties than looking after their daughter. When Peter Panto and his best friend Tinkerbell (Stink to her friends) arrive in Wendy’s room to retrieve Peter’s shadow, Wendy gets whisked away to Riverland, where the gang face fearsome Captain Hook and his sidekick Anita Wee-Wee, and Stink starts to get more than a little jealous that she’s being pushed aside for Wendy. Will her jealousy lead her to do a dastardly act to get Wendy out of the way, or can everyone find a way to co-exist in Riverland happily ever after?
This is a big, bold panto with gallus characters, a punchy script that leaves the cast plenty of room for additional silliness, and a brilliantly funny company. Kenny Miller’s designs add colour and punch into the mix, and Ross Brown’s compositions and musical stylings from the keyboard are effective and very catchy.
The real highlight of this panto, though, is the stellar cast. There’s such clear camaraderie and friendship on the stage, and the audience is absolutely in the palm of the company’s hands from the word go. Star Penders is brash and bold as Peter Panto, perfectly capturing the cheeky immature character. Marc Mackinnon is a scene stealer and woefully underused as Nana, resplendent in head-to-toe pink polka-dots. Emma Mullen pulls double duty as Wendy and Jaeger Lily and displays an excellent voice in her big number in Act Two, as well as in her charming love duet with Katie Barnett’s Anita Wee-Wee. Barnett, also playing Mrs Darling-Darling, is a true highlight – she’s ditzy, daft, and absolutely loveable. She makes a wonderful sidekick to Robert Jack as the evil Captain Hook (and Mr Darling-Darling). This is a camper take on Hook than the norm, with a glittery kilt, fur coat, and a romantic spark with Stink herself, and Jack’s performance is a delight.
Of course, the star of the show is Stink, and Johnny McKnight is a phenomenon. Having also written and directed the panto, McKnight commands the stage every second he is on it, and it’s clear from his ad-libs and banter with the audience that we are watching a true master at work. Stink is a riot – she’s outrageous, over-the-top and an absolute hoot. McKnight is a true panto legend, and this performance shows us exactly why.
This is a true festive treat from start to finish, full of Glaswegian humour and imbued with a message of inclusivity and kindness. It’s a fast-paced, laugh-a-minute romp, which fills us with festive cheer all the way to the final curtain.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Lorna Murray