PETER PAN

PETER PAN 

Mercury Theatre, Colchester

02.08.2017

for The Reviews Hub

A magical, enchanting Peter Pan to follow James and the Giant Peach and Wind in the Willows onto the Mercury stage in the long vacation slot.

Not just another attempt at the increasingly popular summertime panto, but an adaptation, by Daniel Buckroyd and Matthew Cullum (who also shared directing duties), which manages to seem fresh and child-friendly while still respecting J M Barrie's original.

The nursery furniture is shrouded in dust-sheets as we arrive. Simon Kenny's set is uncluttered and inventive, shape-shifting to the Neverland island and the deck of the pirate ship. Drawers pull out to form beds, the crocodile is suggested by a pair of headlamp eyes before making its spectacular final appearance.

The story – quite complex for the youngest minds – is bookended by a prologue and an epilogue in which the actors tell the story in the time-honoured Nicholas Nickleby style. Their boisterous play foreshadows adventures to come (except perhaps for the farting teddy-bear).They are musicians too, and apart from Wendy (Charlotte Mafham) and Peter, play multiple roles. This doubling is very slickly done – the performers rarely leave the stage altogether – and is often part of the entertainment; the Lost Boys are picked off one by one only to re-enter moments later to swell the pirate band. Particularly impressive character work from James Peake as Nana, a convincing canine in fur coat and flying helmet, as well as Cecco the pirate and the know-it-all Slightly Soiled, and Alicia McKenzie as a feisty fairy Tinkerbell and a peg-leg pirate Jukes.

Peter himself is played by Emilio Iannucci, a winning blend of innocence and bravado, and Pete Ashmore, a familiar face on the Mercury stage, takes on the traditional pairing of Mr Darling and Captain Hook. Not your average old Etonian, maybe, despite his dying words, but he handles his cod-Shakespeare convincingly.

“I do believe in fairies,” whispered one little girl in our row, in a moment of unprompted empathy. The production is aimed squarely at children, as is only right, though there were subtleties to satisfy the most jaded adult palate, and the ingenious costume and scene changes help to maintain our interest. All the magic is that special theatrical kind, where our imagination is willingly co-opted to do half the work. Tinkerbell dances as a light on the end of a long wand; Curly's kite is attached to a stick. And, though there's no Kirby, no Foy, the flying sequences are thrillingly done in the simplest way possible.

It is very pleasing to see several editions of the book on offer amongst the crocodile merchandise. And of course, as Barrie intended, the production will benefit the beleaguered Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The sad and the sinister are not neglected: Peter's unwillingness to be touched, or the “tragedy” of the ending, in which Wendy's daughter assumes her role as mother to Peter and the Lost Boys.

Richard Reeday's music underpins the action – there are few big numbers – and it's fun to see the flute, the tuba and two violins shared amongst the colourful characters.

The final tableau sees Peter framed in the window, still looking out beyond the stars to the Neverland, before the braver children in the audience are allowed to explore the nursery for themselves, try out the beds and peek into the delightful dolls' house where Peter's shadow was hidden.

production photograph: Robert Day

PETER PAN

PETER PAN

One From The Heart at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford

07.12.2014

The Third Writtle Brownies loved every minute; I've rarely heard such a unanimously noisy audience as the one which greeted this Peter Pan, directed for One From The Heart by Nik Ashton.

Not really a panto – no cross-dressing [even Peter is a boy these days] and no wedding for the walkdown. But a cracking Christmas show nonetheless, with the most successful moments those that were most traditional: the three gorillas in the ghost routine, the Twelve Days nonsense song, the polystyrene rocks that put an end to the evil Hook.

Raucously lively performances from a hardworking cast: Jonathan Stewart as Hook and [briefly] Mr Darling, Katie Brennan doubling as Mrs Darling and a remarkably sassy Tinkerbell, Samuel Parker as a boyband Peter Pan. Competing for the audience's favours were Kerris Peeling's Eliza, aka Tiger Lily and the Cabin Boy, and Neal Wright's larger-than-life Smee, the erstwhile Lost Boy who longs to be a pop star …

There's excellent work from the chorus [students at Laine Theatre Arts] – Hook's cissy crew, and his saucy lovelies – with neat choreography to a string of chart hits. And from the children, Lost Boys, John and Michael – two teams of local talent.

And of course flying through the nursery window, and the dying Tink saved by the power of faith …

and for The Public Reviews

Another Christmas family show from One From The Heart for Chelmsford's Civic. This time writer Simon Aylin turns to Barrie's timeless Peter Pan, popular on stage since 1904.

His lively new version, dumbed down a little for us “TOWIE rabble”, still has most of the familiar elements: flying, the Lost Boys, Nana the canine nursemaid.

The scene curtain has impressive projections of pirate ship and storm, and the designs are colourful: the nursery looks like something out of a toy catalogue; pop-up storybooks are referenced too. The rooftop gauze for the flight to Neverland is especially effective.

There's no Dame here, of course, but no fewer than three characters compete for the audience's noisy affections: Eliza [Kerris Peeling] acts as narrator, and also tags along with the action as parlourmaid, Tiger Lily and a cabin boy. Tinker Bell, played by Katie Brennan as a very feisty, thoroughly modern young woman. And cuddly Smee [Neal Wright], definitely favourite with the kids, with his naughty words and his X-Factor moment.

Samuel Parker makes a dashing Peter, with his shock of red hair, fancy footwork and stylish swordplay; Eve Crawford plays his Wendy, spitefully dismissed as “frumpy” by Tink.

Jonathan Stewart is Mr Darling and Hook, both slightly under-played, given the frenetic tone of Nik Ashton's production.

There's a small chorus, all students from Laine Theatre Arts, and two teams of local children, who give good value in the Lost Boys number, and also play John and Michael.

The musical numbers, slickly staged but not always relevant or clearly sung, are pop hits in the main, a notable exception being Dream A Little Dream, beautifully styled by Mrs Darling [Brennan again] as a lullaby to her children in the nursery [MD is Tom Curran].

There's a good deal of padding in the two hour show, including crew training with mops, and an unexplained football sequence. The parts that work best are those which are firmly within the panto tradition: the crazy Twelve Days of Christmas [“Five Toilet Rolls”] with water pistols but alas no sweets tossed into the stalls, the birthday shout-out and the gorilla chase around the auditorium.

The capacity crowd were vocal in their appreciation of this fast and furious bit of seasonal fun, from the “Hello Chelmsford” warm-up to the party mix curtain call.

PETER PAN

PETER PAN

Cut to the Chase at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch

28.05.2012

for The Public Reviews

J M Barrie, creator of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, and originator of the name Wendy, is very present in this stage version, directed by Bob Carlton. His words – the oaths, the archaisms, the obscure and the weird – are faithfully retained, and he is a character too, telling the story to young admirers [as Carroll so often does in adaptations of Alice] and even stealing from Mr Darling the privilege of playing Hook.

I admired this respectful approach, especially as it is combined with a love of magic which conjures the changing scenes from the simplest of resources. For we never leave Kensington Gardens – from the opening picnic – teddy bear, barrel organ, balloon seller - to the closing tableau with Peter immortalised all over again in Frampton's statue.

The solid set – which tends to militate against the resourcefulness and the playful imagination – becomes the nursery, and Neverland, the sea and the ship. In a wonderfully inventive touch, the lamplighter becomes Tinkerbell – Natasha Moore, with a tin whistle, who also plays Tiger Lily.

The prologue cleverly introduces many of the familiar features of the plot – the dog, the crocodile, flying – as the children share the story of Cinderella.

The music – by Steven Markwick, also the MD – uses the Cut to the Chase company well; it is stylistically very varied [I was reminded of Salad Days and Sondheim, amongst others]. The Crocodile Song, Mother Will Be There Too, were catchy; the best production number is the ingenious Building The Wendy House. And the instrumental introduction to Act Two is sheer delight.

Jonathan Markwood is a fruity Old Etonian Hook; Simon Jessop a likeably dim Smee, with his trombone musket, as well as channelling Arthur Askey's pantomime dame for Mrs Moon, balloon seller. Greg Last plays a very believable Michael, the youngest of the Darling children, and Kate Robson-Stuart endures the sexist stereotyping of Wendy, and also manages to play violin for the final showdown. Sam Kodabacheh makes an improbable paterfamilias, but an excellent Slightly.

In the title role: Dylan Kennedy, bringing a sly Irish charm to the boy who wouldn't grow up – he was much liked by the youngsters in the audience, with his bravado and his daring parkour round the masonry.

An interesting move, scheduling a major children's show at the start of summer. The Queen's have come up with an impressive addition to the genre, with music, slapstick, a puppet mermaid, flying by Foys and some tricky swashbuckling in the water feature. And, for those who did grow up, a witty, literate script which never seeks to subvert the original.

Not a pantomime, of course – that'll be here in December. Jack and the Beanstalk this year, and it's booking well already ...
production photograph: Nobby Clark

this piece first appeared on The Public Reviews

PETER PAN

CYGAMS Summer School

at their Meteor Way HQ

01.08.09

This was Young Gen's 23rd

Summer School, an almost instant show which gives a large company a taste of the limelight, and two casts a chance to shine.

A week ago none of them knew which part they'd be playing. The lively, entertaining production we saw was achieved, unbelievably, in just five and a half days.

As director Ray Jeffery said, it's not just about learning theatre, it's about camaraderie and supporting each other.

The afternoon show went much more smoothly than anyone had the right to expect. Some of the lost boys [and girls] were only eight years old, for some this was their first proper show – a real baptism of fire.

Guy Sullivan characterised all his roles well, especially perhaps his Indian Chief, and Holly Escott made the most of Tinkerbell's wordless mime. Bart Lambert was a plummy Etonian Hook, swapping roles in the evening with his equally confident sidekick Starkey [Sam Toland]. Charlotte Broad brought poise and understanding to Wendy, and Catherine and Patrick Gray were the most convincing middle-class Edwardians. Henri de Lausun never missed a laugh as the non-conformist Smee.

Callum Crisell made Peter a somewhat troubled teen, but held the stage well and gave 110% to all his numbers.

Bryan Cass was the Musical Director, and this special adaptation of the 1954 classic was conceived and directed by Ray Jeffery.