‘A Family Affair’ - Peter Pan the Panto at Hudson Village Theatre
By Misha Nye
December 12, 2025
What marks the start of the Christmas season? The first whiff of a sapin de Noël? The first tinkling of a Mariah Carey tune? For me at least, it was speaking about the annual Christmas show at the Hudson Village Theatre.
This year’s performance will be Peter Pan the Panto. Fairies, crocodiles, and Captain Hook? This is certainly not your average Christmas show. But at its core is all that we love about the holiday season: family, community, and a feeling of warmth amidst the cold months.
“Will the boy who never grew up rid Neverland of Captain Hook forever? Will the Darlings find their way home? And, most importantly, do you believe in fairies?”
The beloved tale of Peter Pan has had many iterations since J.M. Barrie’s original in 1911. I myself have core memories of watching the 2003 film in elementary school – I thought it was magic. Now, wonderfully transported to the stage by Tom Whalley, Peter Pan returns as a pantomime!
For over twenty years now, Hudson Village Theatre has staged a pantomime over the festive period. Though a rarity this side of the Atlantic, the Hudson panto grows in popularity each year and shows no signs of slowing down. It has become a hallmark, a ritual that wraps up one year and ushers in another.
The pantomime, with its roots in 18th-century England, is a participatory show for the whole family where the audience is not just allowed but encouraged to join in – whether that’s by singing, booing, or yelling in response! Add in a healthy dose of singalong tunes, slapstick humour, and larger-than-life characters, and the panto magic comes to life.
Last week, I sat down with co-directors Steve Walters and Jean-Frédéric Samson. Rehearsals are well and truly underway, and their excitement was palpable. ‘I’m having a ball’, says Jean-Frédéric; ‘It’s going to be an absolute hoot’, says Steve. After all, in pantomime fun is not just an afterthought – fun is the whole business!
“We want to make it fun for the cast, the crew, the technical team, and if we do that it will transfer to the audience”
Hudson Village Theatre is embracing the fabulously extravagant world of Peter Pan. ‘Visually it will be a real feast for the eyes’, Steve tells me, with a production team packed with talent in all departments. One such example of this is scenic painter Adele Reeves, who has painted four huge, beautiful backdrops for the show. Frankly, in a theatre culture with much pared-back décor and austere dress, this joyful extravagance is a breath of fresh air.
This is a true ensemble piece. And with two casts of twenty people, ranging from 5 to 72 years old, it is no small operation! As beautifully put by Jean-Frédéric, ‘it’s an intricate tapestry that only holds together by having all of these threads interwoven’.
The Christmas Panto at Hudson is very much a family affair. For the cast – the Panto family, JF calls it – it is a magical experience spending the festive period together. The Christmas Eve show, taking place at 11am, epitomises this. The room is filled with nervous energy, Jean-Frédéric tells me, as the team put on one wonderful show before the excitement of the day takes over.
“You see the youth, mirth, and fun that are put aside for ‘adulting’… how can we rekindle that flame of mirth, that youthful spirit”
In a year of so much grief, a show like this is a welcome tonic. Peter Pan is a feel-good tale of good overcoming evil, yes, but it’s even more than that. It’s a tale of mischief, adventure, and joy. It is a reminder to keep the child in you alive. To keep that flame burning even if the cold winds are raging.
Peter Pan the Panto runs all through the festive period, from December 12th to January 4th. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it promises to keep you hooked.
Peter Pan
By The Hudson Village Theatre
Running December 12, 2025 - January 4, 2025
At The Hudson Village Theatre