Review: Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Lyceum, Sheffield

The acting’s as wooden as the wobbly sets, the plot has more holes than the costumes, and the cast and crew don’t even try to conceal their mutual loathing.
By Sarah Crabtree
Published 21st Feb 2024, 13:55 BST
Updated 21st Feb 2024, 14:30 BST
Peter Pan Goes Wrong is at the Lyceum, Sheffield, until Saturday, February 24. Photos: Pamela Raith.Peter Pan Goes Wrong is at the Lyceum, Sheffield, until Saturday, February 24. Photos: Pamela Raith.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong is at the Lyceum, Sheffield, until Saturday, February 24. Photos: Pamela Raith.

It’s quite simply the best worst thing you’ve seen for ages!The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are back with Peter Pan Goes Wrong, taking the classic story of the boy who never grew up and turning it upside down… literally.

In fact ‘goes wrong’ is putting it mildly. Fresh from reportedly crushing to death a child during their last am dram efforts, the fictional company this time are setting the theatre world alight – and not with their talents.Break a leg? And the rest.

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It’s every bad play you’ve ever seen, every fluffed line or missed cue, every scenery malfunction or technical glitch, all rolled into one great slapstick romp.

Gareth Tempest takes flight as Jonathan playing Peter PanGareth Tempest takes flight as Jonathan playing Peter Pan
Gareth Tempest takes flight as Jonathan playing Peter Pan

The riotous show, along with its spoof predecessor The Play That Goes Wrong from the Olivier Award winning Mischief Theatre company, clearly has quite the cult following, and there’s a whole world of Cornley fandom online.

Expect a heckling audience heavily invested in the characters’ backstories, whooping at the in-jokes, and cheering in solidarity, especially with poor, sweet underdog ‘Max’ and long-suffering director ‘Chris’, stoically fighting a losing battle to prevent his precious production descending into pantomime.

In fact, as a play within a play, it’s hard to determine whether the fans are applauding the real actors at all.

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Either way, Jean-Luke Worrell as glitter-bedazzled narrator, Francis, is a scene-stealer even when not channeling his inner Shirley Bassey, and Max is played with strong improv provenance by Theo Toksvig-Stewart – his mum is comedian Sandi.

Jack Michael Stacey – Cornley’s director, Chris – as Captain HookJack Michael Stacey – Cornley’s director, Chris – as Captain Hook
Jack Michael Stacey – Cornley’s director, Chris – as Captain Hook

As the farce lurches from one gasp-out-loud catastrophe to another, it’s easy to overlook the sheer effort and physical energy that must go into making so much mishap and mayhem go so right. Choreographing chaos, and making it look like hilarity and incompetence, is seriously clever stuff.

With a spirit that remains true to its fringe roots, and nods to Basil Fawlty, Mr Bean and Blackadder, it’s so bad it’s brilliant.

  • Peter Pan Goes Wrong is at the Lyceum, Sheffield, until Saturday, February 24
Related topics:Sheffield