Founded in 1886, Birmingham & Midlands Operatic Society (BMOS) is one of the region’s leading amateur musical theatre companies and the only one to perform twice a year at The Alexandra.

Following on from their highly successful adaptation of Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5 in June, BMOS are once again thrilling audiences at the Alex, this time presenting a magical, engaging musical version of Peter Pan.

The company’s charming and endearing take on this much-loved tale features a script that stays faithful to JM Barrie’s 1904 play: Peter Pan, Or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up. With a host of wonderful characters and an infectious score to recommend it, this swashbuckling adventure tells the delightful story of the Darling Family - Wendy (Annabel Pilcher), John (Riley Manning) and Michael (Edward Jones) - and their extraordinary encounter with Peter Pan (Martin Foley) and his ruthless enemy, Captain Hook (Alistair Jolliffe).

A particular highlight for me last night was the song Neverland, where Wendy and her brothers - facilitated by a liberal sprinkling of fairy dust - find themselves soaring above the stage with Peter. Following his directions… second star to the right, and straight on ’til morning... they accompany him to the faraway destination of Neverland, where he and the lost boys live.

Captain Hook and his bumbling first mate, Smee (Dave Shaw), bring plenty of humour to their respective roles, with the captain getting lightheartedly booed by the appreciative audience not only throughout the show but also at the end of the performance during the standing ovation.

Fabulous life-like animal movements are provided by Nathanael Fittro for both the St Bernard dog Nana and the crocodile Tick-Tock, whose costumes are pretty impressive too!

Supported by the excellent Midland Concert Orchestra, BMOS deliver a truly joyful and entertaining family show, complete with well-executed special effects - including great flying sequences and clever use of lighting - imaginative choreography, strong vocals and across-the-board high-quality performances. The production is yet another triumph for this talented and committed ensemble, who will return in 2024 with two more no-doubt-exceptional shows for their fans and supporters to enjoy.

Four stars

BMOS’ Peter Pan A Musical Adventure was reviewed by Sue Hull on Thursday 23 November at The Alexandra, where it shows until Saturday 25 November.