| Barrie’s story has never failed to capture the imagination |
At Louche Theatre |
| Peter Pan , Morlan Centre Aberystwyth , November 25, 2016 |
It’s the time of year when the Christmas shows come out to play, and this year Louche Theatre has chosen another classic piece to present at the Morlan Centre in Aberystwyth. Peter Pan is one of those plays which has seen so many versions, films and musicals made that it’s occasionally hard to guess at which version you might see. I’m happy to report that, with a few small tweaks, it’s Barrie’s original version which takes to the boards, plot, characters and themes intact. Which left me with the other question I always have for adaptations of Peter Pan - how are they going to fly? Rather well as it turns out. As things get under way in the nursery of Mr and Mrs Darling’s Bloomsbury flat, the titular Peter enters seeking to reclaim his shadow. The shadow, played by a cast member in a black body suit, becomes a part of the cast and minutes later a chorus of similarly clad performers literally sweep Peter, Wendy, John and Michael off their feet and away to Neverland - with a little judicious assistance from a smoke machine the effect works charmingly, giving an idea of the character this production will take. Come Neverland and the lost boys, and Captain Hook and his crew are not slow to put in an appearance. As per the tradition Matthew Fullwood plays Hook as well as Mr Darling, facing off against the Lost Boys, Tiger Lilly’s braves and the unseen but ever menacing crocodile. On the bare floor of the Morlan centre the assorted scenes are brought to life through simple wooden flats, wheeled into position anew by the cast to show forest, ship or nursery. Against these the larger than life characters play out in stark relief, set around the ever-youthful, always-infuriating Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up. Barrie’s story has never failed to capture the imagination, but what makes this production are the odd notes. In amongst the Edwardian family values are the interjections of a distinctly working-class Tinkerbell and the many accents of Hook’s crew. Small points perhaps, but they’re what adds that little extra, particularly for the adults in the audience. The play also scores highly for the disconnect between the unruly high spirits of Neverland and the domesticity of the room in London where the story will begin and end. The swashbuckling pirates contrast with the genuine pathos of the parents left without their children, but the real contrast is against the title character, who can only live in the now, with no use for regret or the lessons of past events. The ability of the cast to turn from pathos to comedy showed the depth and ability of what was a truly ensemble piece. The characters of the Neverland worked perfectly because they are overdone. The characters of the “real” world worked because they are not. |
Reviewed by: Alex Gilbey |
This review has been read 2042 times There are 25 other reviews of productions with this title in our database:
|
