The building currently housing the theatre was built in 1860 and originally housed the Institute of Arts and Science. All the groups that use the theatre will, from November onwards, be using the new Carriageworks Theatre in Millennium Square. The first production at the new theatre will be the Leeds Children's Theatre production of The Ideal Gnome Expedition, a musical play by David Wood. It is fitting that this final production at the theatre should be by the Children's Theatre as The Civic has, probably more than any other theatre in Leeds, promoted plays and musicals for children of the city. The Children's Theatre was founded in 1935 and is therefore celebrating their 70th anniversary this year. The group is staffed entirely by volunteers offering experience to the younger members, covering most aspects of theatrical production.
 | | Mr and Mrs Darling from Peter Pan |
Peter Pan is a tale that has fascinated children for over 100 years since J M Barrie first wrote his wonderful book about 'the boy who never grew up' and this production holds very fast to the original story. In this play we join Wendy, John and Michael as they learn to fly and travel with Peter to his home in Never Land. Here, as part of their adventure, they meet the Lost Boys, Indians and of course Captain Hook and his pirate band. I was very impressed with Judith Daniels' direction of the play, keeping the action moving throughout, and making good use of the stage as a whole. The action scenes were imaginative and well directed and all the actors could clearly be heard throughout the play, even by those of us sitting near the back of the theatre. Because of the heavy workload of the two main parts, Peter and Wendy, Judith has taken the bold decision to have two youngsters playing each of the parts, each of them performing seven times in the two week run of the show. On the opening night Peter was played by Nancy Cooper, and Wendy by Naomi Roxby-Wardle. Both of these turned in performances well beyond their tender years. Judith informed me during the interval that the other pairing of Heather
Siddle and Sophie Stainforth are equally as good and that during rehearsals the pairings have been changed from time to time so that all four have worked with each other in case of illness. The group have only been rehearsing since the end of January but in the three-month period have honed the show into a very slick and professional production. Other principals worthy of mention were Graham Siddle (Heather's father) as Mr Darling, Maureen Kershaw as Mrs Darling, Ian Goodison as the evil Captain Hook and Oliver Patterson and Joe Rogerson as Michael and John respectively.
This was an excellent production of Peter Pan.
Peter Pan is at the Civic until Saturday 7 May 2005.
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