Review: PETER PAN GOES WRONG at Chateau Neuf

If you’ve ever witnessed a school play (or YouTube-clips) that was teetering on the brink of disaster, with forgotten lines, collapsing props, and one unfortunate child stuck in a tree costume, Peter Pan Goes Wrong is essentially that, but cranked up to eleven and performed by professionals who are incredibly good at being bad. This show is from the same delightfully chaotic minds behind The Play That Goes Wrong, a production that turned a simple murder mystery into a full-blown theatrical train wreck. Having seen that, I had high hopes for Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and it absolutely did not disappoint.

The show follows a well-meaning but utterly inept theatre company as they attempt to stage Peter Pan. And when I say attempt, I mean it in the loosest sense possible. The set is a ticking time bomb of disasters, the actors are battling more than just stage fright, and the entire production seems to be held together with power chords, duct tape and “happy thoughts”. The Peter Pan story technically unfolds, but not without some unexpected additions, such as catastrophic flying mishaps, actors losing costume pieces at the worst possible moments, and a pirate ship that appears to have developed a personal vendetta against the cast.

One of the most spectacular running gags involves Peter Pan’s flying, which is meant to be a graceful, magical spectacle but instead turns into a terrifying, aerial game of pinball as he crashes into walls, dangles upside down, and generally looks like he deeply regrets ever leaving the ground. Meanwhile, the set itself appears to be actively trying to sabotage the actors, with props that refuse to stay in place, beds that collapse unexpectedly, and doors that seem to have their own sense of comedic timing. Tinkerbell’s grand entrance is quickly overshadowed by the fact that she gets electrocuted mid-scene, and one of the Lost Boys (well, there is only one lost boy to be honest) has such a rough time that she spends the second half of the play in a wheelchair.

The love triangle between Wendy (Kristine Grændsen), Peter (Nils-Ingar Aadne), and Tinkerbell (Siw Anita Andersen) adds an extra layer of chaos. Wendy’s outrage when she discovers Peter sneaking around with Tinkerbell mid-play is a hilarious moment of unscripted drama that unfolds in real-time on the unstoppable revolving stage, much to the audience’s delight. Meanwhile, the show’s narrator (Atle Antonsen), who is supposed to provide a steadying presence, has his own struggles, particularly when he attempts to make a dramatic exit by throwing glitter and declaring himself vanished—only to still be sitting there awkwardly.

A standout character is the Crocodile, who also plays one of Wendy’s brothers (Modou Bah). He quickly becomes the underdog hero of the show, especially after an accidental backstage recording is played in which the directors openly criticize his acting skills. By the end of the night, the entire audience is rooting for him, even though his romantic hopes are doomed. There’s something incredibly satisfying about how the play subtly builds him up, until suddenly everyone is more invested in the Crocodile’s fate than Peter Pan’s.

The grand finale is a true masterpiece of mayhem. The pirate ship, which has been a source of danger throughout the play, finally goes rogue and starts tipping violently from side to side. Actors slide helplessly across the stage, Peter Pan is still struggling with his flying harness, and the rotating stage takes on a mind of its own, revealing all the backstage chaos, including an exasperated paramedic desperately trying to treat the latest injury.

While the show is undeniably hilarious, some of the humor does feel a little repetitive by the end. A lot of the jokes revolve around things breaking, actors getting hurt, and tech malfunctions, which, while very funny, start to feel a little predictable after the tenth time someone gets smacked in the face by a rogue prop. There are also a few running gags, like the narrator’s overuse of dramatic flourishes, that could have been cut down slightly. The headset mishap, where the actor (Jan Martin Johnsen) has to repeat his lines from a not so hidden earpiece, is funny at first but starts to lose its impact after the third or fourth time he accidentally repeats backstage gossip.

The casting of this production is well done, with well known comedic actors. Trond Fausa is wonderful as the director doing double duty as Captain Hook, who is not a fan of audience participation (We were encouraged by the stage manager played by Petter Vermli to boo him). Vidar Magnussen also have great comedic timing in multiple roles, such as Nana the dog, Peter’s shadow and pirate who is inaudible because of his pipe. Kristine Grænsdsen’s Wendy takes first price as over-actor, and it takes great focus to do that, some of the facets in her made up persona such as the the need for trashy dance moves got a little lost in it all, I would have liked an explanation on that. Jon Martin Johnson and Modou Bah are reunited here after both “Moulin Rouge” and “Så som i himmelen” and once again, they play great of each other. Siw Anita Andersen does some impressive costume changes here, and here comedic chops are in full form. Tiril Heide-Steen as Lucy (apparently billionaire Petter Stordalen’s niece who funded this fictional production) has the thankless task of almost getting hurt every time she is entering the stage, and with that many big comedians on stage it is easy to get lost in the crowd. Thankfully she does not, and saves the show.

Director Kim Haugen has done a masterful job of making this slapstick comedy work, in the sense that he has streamlined the focus, and made sure there is a sense of progression before we come to the point where absolutely everything goes to hell. He has also put in a few surprises here and there not in the original in addition to take out other parts that didn’t work. Lucy Osbourne’s sets and costumes are wonderful, and looks almost too good for a fake amateur production, but since this was “funded” by Petter Stordalen then money well spent, I say.  

Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a brilliantly chaotic, laugh-out-loud disaster that turns theatre’s worst nightmares into pure comedy gold. From its meticulously staged catastrophes to its endearingly clueless characters, the show delivers two hours of non-stop slapstick, unexpected twists, and sheer theatrical mayhem. While some jokes can feel a little overused, the incredible comedic timing, clever set design, and strong performances more than make up for it.

With a cast full of well-known comedic talents who embrace the madness with full enthusiasm, and a director who has masterfully orchestrated the controlled chaos, this production is a must-see for fans of physical comedy, theatre parodies, and anyone who enjoys watching things spectacularly fall apart. Whether you’re roaring with laughter at the flying mishaps, rooting for the underdog Crocodile, or wincing at yet another onstage injury, Peter Pan Goes Wrong guarantees a wildly entertaining night out.

It may not be a show you rush to watch twice in a row, but for an evening of pure theatrical carnage, it’s an absolute riot. Just be grateful you're in the audience and not on stage.

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