Cessy Newmon
PETER PAN, by Sir J.M. Barrie, is touring North America in its most current iteration. The 120+-year-old classic originated as a play in 1904, with the book emerging 10 years later. Disney created the first animated musical in 1953, with the first stage musical launching in California a year later. Probably most impressive is that Sir Barrie left the royalties to PETER PAN to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. So any time you read the book, watch the movie, or see it on stage, the hospital is receiving some portion of what you pay.
This is a mixed review, as there are some great things about it, but there are also some things that didn’t sit quite as well with me as former productions. The vocals and acting across the board are top notch. The set for this show is spectacular, and an invisible crew moved massive set pieces including hydraulics. The video effects are superior to most projections I’ve seen. Flying scenes are seemless and even thrilling at times, with the actors never looking like they were doing anything but having fun. If you are not tied closely with the original PETER PAN storyline vs. a more modern-day version, you will really enjoy this production.
We meet Mr. and Mrs. Darling (Cody Garcia and Shefali Deshpande) as well as Wendy (Hawa Kamara), John (Levi Christopulos), and Michael (Camden Kwok) in the opening scene. Christopulos and Kwok are very talented young men and cute as buttons in their roles. Ms. Kamara exudes caregiver qualities from the outset. Ms. Deshpande holds the opening scene as the worrisome mother.
There are little hints of Tinkerbell from the beginning. The effect of Tink flying and being caught in drawers and hands is so much fun. But the real excitement starts when the window flies open and Peter Pan (played last night by Jonah Barricklo instead of Kruz Maldonado) flies into the nursery. Mr. Barricklo was seamless taking this giant role, including in his dance with his shadow, which has to be flawless. He has a wonderful voice, and you develop a good mixed-feeling relationship with him, as he comes off as completely selfish at first. His flight scenes were smooth with the transitions from air to ground and back to the air.
The actor who really stole the show, though, was Cody Garcia (Captain Hook/Mr. Darling). His voice is strong and perfect for the role, and he was probably one of the best dancers on the stage, with the ability to move smoothly as a snake. He donned a Scottish accent as Hook. Not sure why, but it could be an homage to Sir Barrie’s roots. It’s any villain’s goal to get booed onstage, and he’d earned his boo at his entrance for Act 2, and he reveled in it. He transitioned between the two roles changing both demeanor and accent, making it challenging to tell it was the same actor.
Other supporting actors of note are Tiger Lily (Bailey Frankenberg) and Smee (Kurt Perry). Ms. Frankenburg does well as a fierce defender of her tribe. On the other side, Mr. Perry is much fun as the clumsy sidekick to Captain Hook. Overall, it’s a very young cast, and everyone from Lost Boys to Picaninnies to Pirates worked together well.
There are notable differences between the original PETER PAN book and the current touring version. It becomes evident quickly that the script has been modernized. Wendy hammers on becoming a doctor instead of the prospect of motherhood a little too often for my taste and references viral videos. Instead of a darling dog, Nana, we have babysitter tied to headphones and basically ignoring the children. Really taking me aback, Tinker Bell calls Wendy an “ass” multiple times, when this production is meant for children of all ages. It didn’t add to the story, and there are so many less crass adjectives available. I’m all for updating pieces as necessary, but I think portions of this version felt forced. It really only needed a few modifications, such as Tiger Lily and her clan, to be politically correct.
To reiterate, though, this concern is with the writing of this version and not with the actual presentation by the company. The only production criticism would be some of the choreography, especially faking a tap-dance routine without tap shoes.
PETER PAN is at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts February 18th-23rd. Ticket prices and show times vary based on show and seating. For tickets, go to fscjartistseries.org or call (904) 632-5000.
by Cessy Newmon
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