Spotlight on: Pantastic!

5*****

-Teaching Drama Magazine

As a leaver musical, there cannot be many to rival Pantastic for sheer joie de vivre. Tom Kirkham and Matthew Crossey’s exhilarating adaptation of the adventures of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, the Lost Boys and Tiger Lily has been delighting schools and youth theatres all over Europe since its publication in 2016, and there have been thousands of productions in over 30 countries.

So, what’s the secret? What makes it such a great leavers musical, and why do children, in particular, love it so much? Let’s go through what the show is all about and discover what makes Pantastic so fantastic!

What’s Pantastic All About?

“I think they’re brilliant.”

-Sarah Lambie, Editor, Teaching Drama Magazine

Spoilers ahead!

In this popular school musical, suitable for KS2 and KS3 students, we meet Wendy, John, and Michael, who are being tucked into bed by their mother, Mrs Darling. Peter Pan and Tink sneak into the nursery to retrieve Peter’s shadow, which results in the children being whisked away to Neverland. Here, they come across the Lost Boys, pirates, and Natives.

Hook captures Wendy to lure Peter into a trap. Luckily, Wendy is saved by Peter and Tink, who defeat the pirates and Hook himself. The children return home, along with the Lost Boys, who wish for a real mother. On the other hand, Peter decides to remain behind, effectively never growing up.

What’s So Fantastic about Pantastic?

“The music was just the best that I have ever heard on any production.”

- Sara Forster, Music Leader, Barley Fields Primary School

If you’re considering investing in this primary school musical, find out what others have loved about this show!

• Story

Well, the source material isn’t bad for a start! In Neverland, J.M. Barrie created the most wonderful setting imaginable, an enchanting island full of pirates, Natives and children who never grow up. Which child wouldn’t welcome the chance to bring this to life on stage?

• Music

Then there’s the music: ten of the catchiest songs imaginable, but hugely eclectic in style and brilliant fun to sing. What’s more, they drive the action forwards and spread out the opportunities to sing amongst all of the cast. Take a look at one wonderful example below!

• Script

Finally, there’s the script, a seamless blend of humour and drama which stays true to the spirit of Barrie’s original whilst telling a gripping, uplifting, yet ultimately poignant tale, with an array of memorable characters divided up into three distinct groups for ease of rehearsing.

What Can We Learn from Pantastic?

Not only is Pantastic incredibly entertaining, but is can also teach your schoolchildren a thing or two about important moral lessons. This engaging script provides an extensive selection of core values, including:

• Growing up

Whilst the desire to stay young forever is reflected in the starting song, Nobody Wants To Grow Old, the story progresses and touches on the inevitable process of becoming more mature. This teaches children that while childhood can be magical, growing up and responsibility are key parts of life, symbolised in Wendy’s decision to leave Neverland. Listen to the song ‘Goodbye To Neverland’, which rounds up this theme nicely:

• Friendship

We see the theme of friendship throughout Pantastic, with connections between main characters like Peter, Wendy, Tink, and the Lost Boys, emphasising the value of loyalty and friendship. Despite Tink and Peter’s disagreements, they eventually reconcile, showing that strong friendships can survive challenges and are built on supporting each other.

• Courage

Courage is a big theme in Pantastic, as shown in key characters like Peter, Wendy, and Tiger Lily when they come face to face with danger, such as when they rescue each other from pirates. The whole musical celebrates the importance of standing up for others and doing what is right, even if difficult obstacles are in the way. Check out the theme of courage in one of Tom’s cleverly crafted songs, ‘Let’s Beat The Pirates’:

• Maternal love

The Lost Boys’ longing for a real mother and their return to the Darling house highlights the need for maternal love and care. This theme of family reminds children that while adventure and freedom are exciting, the love of family is vital to one’s well-being and personal growth. Pantastic can be a great show to prepare ahead of Mother’s Day!

• Reflection

Pantastic is full of character reflection and personal growth. For example, Tink acknowledges a mistake she made and vows to make it right, demonstrating the importance of self-awareness and the ability to grow.

Who Should Invest in Pantastic?

Pantastic is a magical musical for school children aged 9-14+, boasting an engaging and imaginative script with real lessons to be learned about friendship, redemption, adventure, reality, and more!

This show runs for 60 minutes, making it appropriate for older primary school children as well as secondary school pupils, who can generally handle longer plays than KS1 students. A one-hour running time offers an ideal amount of time to encourage students to get stuck into the story without losing interest.

You should also consider your cast size. Pantastic has 33 speaking roles and an ideal cast size of 40 students, although this can range from 20 to 50+ students. Don’t forget that some quieter members of your class won’t feel comfortable speaking in front of an audience, so you’ll need a group large enough to cover the main speaking parts.

Tom recommends rehearsing this for the best part of a term, so ensure your class can dedicate enough time to practice several times a week. If this sounds manageable, it’s time to take on ten magical songs and a smart script today!

To get a better feel of what the musical is all about, take a quick look at one of Tom Kirkham’s wonderful songs, ‘Higher and Higher’:

Ready to Put on a Show to Remember?

Check out our Pantastic musical or the senior version for secondary school students today. In line with the wishes of the original author, JM Barrie, we give 10% of the revenue from this show's purchases to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Leaving primary school is an important moment in a child’s life. For many, it will mean saying goodbye to friends and leaving behind a world where they have felt nurtured, cherished and safe. But it will also mean venturing forth, charting a new course, and braving new experiences. If any leaver musical captures the essence of this in a one-hour piece of musical theatre, it can only be Pantastic.

Additionally, take a look at our previous Spotlight on Oliver with a Twist and The Wizard Of Oz to discover our different musicals, and stay tuned for our next Spotlight piece!

Have a question about our musical adaptations? Please reach out to us.