STAGED at Pembrokeshire College’s Merlin Theatre at the start of December, Peter Pan was a beautiful, magical celebration of childhood.

A powerful performance of Aurora’s Runaway set the scene for a fantasy that was conveyed as much through music and dance as through acting and storytelling - and was all the richer for it.

Under the guidance of choreographer Finola Findlay, the many dance routines were breathtaking; enchanting as a fairytale, and must have required a great deal of stamina on the part of the young performers.

All this was elevated to a professional level through the use of props: billowing fabric and looped wands of lights, a giant crocodile, ’smoke’ machines and intuitive lighting effects. To Ruth B’s song ‘Lost Boy’, a thin curtain of material was held across the stage and the action was transformed into an effective shadow play.

Musical Director Sarah Sharpe led a wonderful, versatile band while the lead actors proved talented singers. Wendy (Zara Davies) and Captain Hook (Samantha Semaani-Rodriguez) were particularly strong, the latter pulling off a gospel-blues number with all the required swagger.

JM Barrie’s Peter Pan is widely regarded as a classic; it has the inspired many films and pantomimes, yet this reviewer went to the play without any knowledge of the tale. It is testament to the high quality acting, then, that this delightful story came across so well to the uninitiated. All parts were beautifully executed; from the increasingly courageous Michael (Ben Hughes) and the naughty Tinkerbell (Jani Lewis), to the comical Smee (Lucy Peters) and Nana the dog’s operator (Zoe Starling).

Welcome familiar faces from other local productions included Katya Foster (Torch Theatre) and Ethan Clancy (Vision Arts). Many in the cast have ambitions for acting careers, and it shows.

A percentage from the ticket sales will support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.