Peter Pan

Staging a story which has been presented as a book, many films and other theatre productions presents challenges. This one is particularly difficult because it involves flying, pirate ships and magic.

They overcame the technicalities. They flew using “fairy string” and counterweight engineering which was managed well enough not to intrude. The pirate ship was fabulous and was a great example of the show’s design (Michael Vale) which used the suggestion of found objects to create many of the pieces on stage. Puppets (Toby Olié) augmented the actors and helped to create the otherness of Neverland.

The actors are well known on stage and screen; Peter Pan – Paul Hilton, Wendy – Madeleine Worrall, Hook/Ms Darling – Anna Francolini and they bring professional sureness to everything from flying to fighting. The decision to have Peter Pan look more like an ageing rock star than an adolescent on the brink of adulthood and afraid of growing up created some dissonance.

The production was episodic and awkward in choice of style, one moment slapstick, the next almost burlesque, then romantic comedy. While some of the individual episodes were charming - the mermaids - they felt too long and a drag on the development and energy of the story.

The music and fabulous soundscape was provided by musicians on stage. Both music and sound was exquisitely chosen and played and utterly supportive of the actors. The technical production of the dialogue was patchy with Peter Pan especially seeming to shout a great deal of his dialogue. Lighting created spaces and moods with little intrusion.

I wish I had seen this production live. In this film presentation the real magic of theatre which happens when an audience is breathing the same air as the actors taking the risks of performance was, of course, absent. This left a lengthy, clever production awkwardly between stage and screen.

Ruth Richter