A Midlands daily newspaper has been featured in a new musical about Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie.

Finding Neverland is currently enjoying a four-week run at Leicester’s Curve Theatre prior to transferring to the West End next year.

The Leicester Mercury worked with the theatre to run an exclusive readers’ evening in which 200 half-price tickets were offered through the newspaper with readers invited to an after-show party to meet members of the cast.

And the newspaper itself was incorporated into the show with a mocked-up copy flashed up on a screen early in the production as part of a montage of reviews of an earlier play by J M Barrie.

Mercury editor Richard Bettsworth:  “It was well-attended and the stars chatted to people with warmth and charm. I am grateful to them for their support for this event and I am also delighted that the Mercury itself has become part of the show.”

Richard, left, is pictured at the after-show party with actor Julian Ovenden, who plays J M Barrie in the production.