Talisman Youth Theatre present Wendy and Peter Pan

Hannah McDermott as Peter Pan and Olivia Leaf as Wendy. Photo by Gwyn Davies.

Talisman Youth Theatre present Wendy and Peter Pan at the Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth from 12 - 14 March 2026. Written by Ella Hickson. Adapted from the book by J.M.Barrie. Directed by Ellie Wellicome.

Review by Ashley Hayward.

The bar has been set very high by the Youth Theatre in recent years but the cast and crew at The Talisman excel once more and do justice to this imaginative adaptation of JM Barrie’s classic tale of ‘the boy who wouldn’t grow up’. This version in fact tells the story entirely through the eyes of Wendy, the eldest child of the Darling family, and the focus shifts away from Peter to Wendy as the central character.

Ellie Hickson’s excellent script cleverly gives more of a feminist perspective to the story with Wendy being somewhat reluctant to take the role of Mother given by the lost boys and Wendy’s own Mother showing more independence as a woman determined to earn a living as a seamstress.

Matthew Jolliffe as Captain Hook. Photo by Gwyn Davies.

Despite these differences the production treats the audience to a ‘Neverland’ containing everything they’d expect when they are whisked off to a to a world of pirates, fairies, mermaids, lost boys, ships and ticking crocodiles.

There are exceptionally mature and enthusiastic performances from the entire cast with Olivia Leaf starring as Wendy and playing her as intelligent, witty and assertive but also warm hearted. Hannah McDermott is delightful as Peter Pan and brings chaos and adventure to the proceedings.

Mrs Darling played by Sophie Burton and Michael played by Oscar Wilson. Photo by Gwyn Davies.

Alannah Harris gives a witty interpretation of the rather bolshie and brash ‘Tink’ whilst Matthew Jolliffe gives a powerful performance as the dastardly Captain Hook.

The main characters are ably assisted by the talented ensemble with some of the young actors capably doubling up in a variety of guises and there are some extremely well-choreographed fight scenes.

Lucy Henderson as Tiger Lily and Wendy played by Olivia Leaf. Photo by Gwyn Davies.

The cast also take responsibility for the set changes which are made very slickly as we are transported from a nursery to Neverland and back again. The changes are accompanied by some exceedingly atmospheric music and impressive effects.

Anyone going to see this play expecting a feminist re-working of the classic story may have been disappointed. In fact what they got was much closer to JM Barrie’s rather strange and unsettling original where Wendy does indeed have a larger role than Peter himself. Perhaps we have become too used to sanitised cartoon and pantomime versions. The original tale of lost boys and a surrogate mother gives an odd insight into Edwardian family life.

Alannah Harris as Tink and cast members. Photo by Gwyn Davies.

Having all the parts played by young people – with unaffected sincerity and lack of self-consciousness – gives the play an almost other-worldly feel (not to mention innocent good humour). Moreover the body count rivals Act V of ‘Hamlet’; and the famous line in the play is when Peter says ‘To die would be an awf’ly big adventure’. However, reassuringly for a juvenile audience, Wendy, Peter, Tink, Tiger Lily and assorted Lost Boys and pirates are all miraculously restored (Wendy twice). And even more reassuringly, the Darling family at the end of the story is happier than it was at the beginning.

For tickets please visit: https://talismantheatre.co.uk/