You just have to read the title to know what’s in store here - lots of comic malarkey and rip-roaring farty fun from a sassy, gassy fairy whose exuberance is barely contained in a sparkly-spangly costume.
If the net and sequins of Stinkerbelle’s teensy wee outfit are strained to bursting, then so are the connections with JM Barrie’s original narrative - but never fear, Johnny’s here to ensure that the essentials are all covered! He’s merrily tweaked and updated his 2013 Tron production, sashayed into the bootylicious role of Stinkerbelle himself and - thanks to a cast who are willing and able to go over the top at the drop of a pun - he’s delivered the kind of show that is all Tron audiences want for Christmas.
Johnny McKnight gets the credit as director, but this is very much a like-minded team effort. Designer Kenny Miller has created witty costumes where vulgarity meets swanky wishful thinking. Hook’s kilt, with its scattering of glittery Jolly Rogers on the front, fits the character delivered brilliantly by Robert Jack: lots of wannabe swagger, a tad camp, yet slightly ridiculous with it.
His sidekick, Anita Wee-Wee (Katie Barnett) is as delightfully daft as her rag-bag attire while West End Wendy (Emma Mullen) is faux-demure in a gingham play-suit - typical of the gosh-posh Darling-Darling family whose aspirations and affectations get pithily sent up. Surely Wendy couldn’t fall in love with a gallus wee ned like Peter Panto (Star Penders)? Suspend your disbelief - before the interval, Hook and Stinkerbelle are also a smoochy item!
The odd couple romances and buckling of swashes are the stuff of some tremendous song 'n’ dance routines - music by Ross Brown, moves by Eva Forrester - where humour and glitz combine a treat. Do we believe in pantos a la Johnny McKnight - clap your hands if you do. And we surely do, with gusto!
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here