I have never taken LSD so I couldn’t have been having a flashback. But Peter and the Starcatcher is certainly, in its own way, psychedelic. And not always in a good way.
This five-time Tony Award-winning play opened in Brisbane on the weekend and I was there sitting in an audience that was in raptures for the entire two-and-a-half hours (with interval) that it took to tell the untold story of Neverland.
Prequels are popular nowadays (Wicked is a prime example) and the tale of Peter Pan (the creation of Scottish writer J.M. Barrie, portrayed by Johnny Depp in the film Finding Neverland) is iconic and loved by generations, so it’s fascinating to imagine how it all began.
Before Neverland there was an island. Before Captain Hook there was a pirate who – SPOILER ALERT – lost his hand in the silliest manner. Before Wendy, there was her mum, Molly. And before Peter there was the nameless boy who became Peter Pan.
And that’s where we end up after an exhausting and sometimes torturous narrative path, which I found incomprehensible for the most part. But, hey, that’s just me.
Reimagined for Australian audiences, this highly anticipated version of Peter and the Starcatcher blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, traversing oceans of mystical mermaids and lands of curious creatures.
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Originally developed by Disney Theatrical Group and written by renowned stage writer and four-time Tony Award nominee Rick Elice (Water For Elephants, Jersey Boys, The Addams Family), with music by Wayne Barker, this all-new producton is directed by Helpmann Award-nominated Australian director and Dead Puppet Society co-founder David Morton (Holding Achilles, The Wider Earth).
It’s not the usual Dead Puppet Society fare but it does feature their stagecraft and puppets. That’s where the rich ore is to be found, for me at least. DPS are masters and their puppets are the most magical thing about this production, which is such a strange mélange of genres.
It’s like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Pirates of Penzance had a baby. It’s raucous and, ostensibly, fun. Certainly, the opening night audience lapped it up while we sat a little dumfounded by the whole thing.
This production is completely over the top, a crazy pantomime that makes no sense most of the time
Mind you we were thrilled with the puppetry and, in particularly – SPOILER ALERT – the magnificent crocodile. There has to be a crocodile if it’s about Peter Pan, right?
This production is completely over the top, a crazy pantomime that makes no sense most of the time, but maybe that’s the beauty of it for some?
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The star-studded ensemble cast includes Otis Dhanji (from blockbuster Aquaman and Netflix hit The Unlisted) as Boy/Peter, with comedian Peter Helliar (The Project, Have You Been Paying Attention and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here) as Smee. Helliar is a great comedian, but not so great a thespian.
One of Australia’s most recognisable comedy faces, Colin Lane, from duo Lano & Woodley (I’ve never found them funny), is pirate Black Stache – and what a ham Lane is. But that’s the pantomime style, I guess. Television star Olivia Deeble, known for roles on TV’s Home and Away, More Than This and Secret Society of Second Born Royals, is terrific as Molly, a real highlight. And she is something of an acrobat, too!
Also featuring in this Peter Pan prequel story is Alison Whyte (Death of a Salesman, The Dressmaker) as Lord Aster. She is a real pro and has quite the stage presence. Paul Capsis (La Cage aux Folles, The Rocky Horror Show) preposterously over-acts as Slank while Hawking Clam and Ryan Gonzalez (Moulin Rouge! The Musical; In The Heights) plays Fighting Prawn.
Our very own Hugh Parker (The Office, The Family Law) plays Captain Scott and, yes – ANOTHER SPOILER ALERT – it is that Captain Scott, the Antarctic one.
Morgan Francis (Boy, Lost) plays Prentiss and John Batchelor (Sea Patrol, Red Dog) is a bit of a hoot as Alf, with Lucy Goleby (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Mrs Bumbrake. Benjin Maza (Othello) is excellent as Ted, with personality-plus.
It’s a big cast and an ambitious production and there’s musicians on stage and a few show tunes. For me, it was all a bit much. But if you love the pantomime style with constant addresses to the audience and baddies you can boo and hiss, with heroes and heroines you can cheer for, you will probably have a ball.
It was suggested by someone at interval that it’s a family show. I guess it is, in a way. But it’s also at times saucy and unsavoury – and it’s very long for kids, unless yours have a long attention span. See how you go.
Peter and the Starcatcher continues at the Playhouse, QPAC, until April 6.