Source:
https://scmp.com/article/436245/review

REVIEW

Uncle Dave's Big Day Out - Peter Pan

Bet you never imagined Tinkerbell wearing shades and groovin' on down to a rendition of Vanilla Ice's Play That Funky Music White Boy. No, nor had I. But then I was expecting a traditional re-telling of the old Disney classic and that just isn't Uncle Dave's style.

Prepare yourself instead for an often zany version of such children's classics that brings the story firmly into the 21st century. So picture Wendy, drawing on her Girl Power to fell Captain Hook with a stuffed crocodile. 'Wow! Did you learn those moves from The Matrix?' asks an impressed Peter Pan. 'No, Charlie's Angels,' replies Wendy triumphantly. Hmmm. Well, it went right over my four-year-old's head, but who cares? She absolutely loved it, as did every other child in the room, judging by the noise level.

Uncle Dave describes the Big Day Out as interactive children's theatre, and it's certainly interactive. There are loads of opportunities to cheer, scream, boo, hiss, clap, stamp your feet and join in the singing. And the children don't need any encouragement.

Just as well really, as singing clearly wasn't the actors' strong point. But they made up for it with their infectious sense of fun, which is why I found myself lustily singing along to the Village People's YMCA as a blockbusting finale (don't ask what the YMCA has to do with Peter Pan). As for the theatre bit, I'd describe it more children's party entertainment, less theatre, but again, who cares? All the events take place at Grappa's Country Restaurant in Jardine's House, making them ideal for children's birthday parties. Uncle Dave himself warms up the audience before the play starts, and kids with birthdays (and there were lots) are given top billing. Food and drink is included in the ticket price. We didn't try the sandwiches, but the pizza was tasty. Our best tip is to get there early. We didn't, and ended up sitting squashed on the stairs with the other latecomers.

Uncle Dave stages a Big Day Out once a month and the Christmas special (December 13 and December 14) is Scrooge, billed as a 'hilarious adaptation' of Dickens' Christmas Carol. The play takes place in a Hong Kong setting, where Scrooge is a wealthy and greedy local tycoon, allowing (apparently) for funny local references and caricatures of local personalities. My daughter's keen, so we'll be going back. And please, can we have more of Village People?

Tickets $150 in advance from website www.hkticketing.com or $180 on the door.