WELSH NATIONAL OPERA kicked off its A Terrible Innocence summer season with this staging of composer Richard Ayres and librettist Lavinia Greenlaw’s operatic version of Peter Pan.

The production seems firmly geared towards the younger generation with an early start, theatre attendants dressed as pirates and ticket prices at only £1 for children.

But I wouldn’t mind betting that parents taking small children along had a tough time keeping them interested.

Greenlaw’s libretto does not do justice to a story that worked as a Disney cartoon and continually delights as a pantomime.

The story has darker overtones which could work for adults but, confusingly, director Keith Warner attempts to take that on board while still looking to engage children.

The consequence is that this mishmash simply doesn’t work. Counter tenor Iestyn Morris plays Peter as though directed to channel his inner Rik Mayall, while Marie Arnet’s Wendy completely fails to convince.

The flying works tolerably well as the Darling children take off from the nursery to Neverland, a world where children never grow up, live with fairies and mermaids and battle with pirates.

But the staging of trains and Captain Hook’s pirate ship running on tracks fails to lift the production.

The tedious music and libretto don’t challenge the singers, while the adults cast as the Lost Boys never convince as children — and their fancy dress costumes really do not help.

There are some nice moments, such as the crocodile’s appearance on stage after it finally chomps Hook (Ashley Holland, pictured).

But leave the children at home if you must go to see this production because a boring outing such as this should not be inflicted on impressionable minds.

Runs until May 31, then tours until July 25, details: wno.org.uk.

Review by David Nicholson