Playing until Sun 3 Jan @ Royal Lyceum
Peter Pan is the ultimate tale of eternal youth. Its author, J.M. Barrie, took solace in his stories, his life having been hounded by death, beginning as a child when his young brother died. Immortality captivates all of us, popping up in escapist entertainment (it’s vampires at the moment; True Blood, New Moon et al) or in adverts for moisturising face-cream, less ‘because I’m worth it,’ more ‘because I can’t face growing up and dying.’ Which is altogether a far too cynical note with which to begin discussing this highly enjoyable production.
Director Jemima Levick has delivered an energetic and uplifting rendition
In searching for his shadow, Peter Pan (Scott Flecher) finds his way into the Darlings house, whose children, including Wendy (Kim Gerard), he whisks off with him to Neverland. There awaits the embittered Captain Hook (Stuart Bowman) whose lust for revenge against Peter is matched only by his fear of the crocodile who ate his hand. There also are the Lost Boys, who desperately want to find a mother to look after them. Can they and Peter escape from the evil Hook?
Director Jemima Levick has delivered an energetic and often uplifting rendition, let down only by a slightly too timid villain, despite Bowman’s enjoyable buffoonery. The main thing here is to escape into the world with Peter, and with Francis O’Connor’s elaborate set with hinges and wheels at every turn allowing the scenes to melt away before your eyes it’s easy to do so. Fletcher looks the part of Peter and has that necessary cheeky quality, while the rest of the cast instill a sense of fun that soon becomes infectious. Watch, enjoy, and savour the eternal-life fantasy before New Year arrives and you realise you’re one year close to death.
Playing until Sun 3 Jan @ Royal Lyceum