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Henry Hitchings's rating
Peter Pan struts but can't really fly
By
Henry Hitchings
4 Dec 2009
The selling point of this Peter Pan, previously seen in Kensington Gardens, is William Dudley’s hugely ambitious design, in which lavish video combines with an aerial wizardry reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil.
Yet while the effects are intermittently spectacular — the 360-degree cyclorama shimmers with CGI projections — Ben Harrison’s production does not have much in the way of either heart or soul.
Part of the problem is Tanya Ronder’s adaptation, which is neither touching nor haunting. The staging in the round makes the production feel like a circus act, and JM Barrie’s original has been stripped of much of its pathos.
As Peter, Ciaran Kellgren is full of animal energy, puckish without being appealing. More enjoyable is Jonathan Hyde’s struttingly camp Captain Hook, and there’s busy work from the rest of the cast but the adults playing children are more than a little creepy. It’s symptomatic of this unsatisfactory reworking that Sandra Maturana’s Tinkerbell is a tomboy rather than a wispy sprite. The emphasis is on noisy physicality rather than on sensitivity. The setting does not help. The Meridian Gardens, in an obscure corner of the O2 Centre, are poorly insulated from outside noise, making subtle nuance nigh on impossible.
We may gasp as the children breeze east across London, circling above a vividly realised St Paul’s, and there are some other endearing moments (the crocodile is a delight, as are the mermaids), but this Peter Pan for all its visual dazzle lacks that subtler kind of magic that beguiles the emotions. The undeniably impressive technical achievements drown out what’s left of the story’s poignancy. An awfully big adventure it is not.
Until 10 January (020 7432 4220).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (4)
Like Peter Mcallister, I completely disagree with your reviewer also.
Just one look at my daughter’s open-mouthed awe was proof enough for me of the transporting charm of this production. I thought it brought out the true magic of the play – surely the way J.M. Barrie intended it (and I think he would haved adored it!). The cast captured the real essence of children without parody; they also captured the period feeling without cliché, and their physicality was outstanding. The aerial work added much, and the computer visuals interfaced perfectly with the actors - leaving us all slightly giddy during the ‘flying’ scenes. Stand out performances for me were Tinkerbell, Hook and Peter Pan himself… Highly recommended.
- James Mccabe, East Grinstead, 06/01/2010 18:15
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I took my family to see it in Kensiingron Gardens last summer and it was a magical experience from start to finish. After the show, a nice extra touch was the presence of theatre staff lighting our way through the park to the Bayswater Road gates, wishing us " Good night ".
Jonathan Hyde was a smashing Captain Hook, both scarily sinister and campily funny in turn. His Mr. Darling was also terriifc- a touching, affecting interpretation.
If you are a theatre snob, avoid it. But if you enjoy a tale well told by an energetic and engaging cast, and you have young chilldren or grandchildren with vivid imaginations and a taste for adventure...you'll love it.
- Jargonaut, South London, 18/12/2009 13:55
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This is certainly not a five star production. There are some impressive technical achievements but the adaptation is not enjoyable and the acting is limited. The visuals are very impressive but it does not make up for the weaknesses in other areas.
- Meredith Goldsmith, London, 11/12/2009 17:51
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I couldn't disagree more with this review.
I saw Peter Pan at the end of last week and thought it to be a fantastic interpretation of the original story. Perhaps Henry Hitchings is referring to Disney's portrayal of Tinkerbell as a wispy sprite, but Henry - that's not how J. M. Barrie intended her to be.
As for the adults playing children being creepy - would you rather have seen 6, 10 and 11 year olds on the stage? I didn't think so... this is, after all theatre, not a technicolour production...
I found the acting to be engaging, the CGI animation to be exceptional and was left with an overall feeling of absolute delight at seeing the show as it was intended by it's creator. Granted to venue location allowed for some noise polution from outside, but this was fleeting and caused minimal disruption. All things considered though Henry, I think perhaps you'd be better off watching the cartoon version in a cinema somewhere in Notting Hill, rather than experiencing an innovative, inspirational piece of theatre, such as this.
5 stars.
- Peter Mcallister, London, UK, 09/12/2009 11:53
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