The holidays are a time when people from every community gather together with family and friends. T’is the season when many of the LGBT community spend extra time with their extended family, or children of their own. In this case, Peter Pan, playing at Alberta Theatre Projects until December 27th, is exactly the type of night you are looking for.
The story is one we all know, of children Wendy, John and Michael, who are visited late at night by eternal boy Peter Pan. Pan flies them away to a land of lost boys, fairies, and pirates. J. M. Barrie’s original story from 1904 is adapted by Jeffrey Pitcher and directed by Bob White. I’ve attended the last two ATP Holiday shows – 2004’s Pinocchio and last years Treasure Island – with adults. This year, I decided to take my best friend’s daughters – five year old Sienna and 10 year old Dakota - so that I could experience it through their eyes.
What a treat. The cast’s enthusiasm is infectious - they inject energy into their audience and feed from it too. Braden Griffith, recent U of C graduate plays Peter Pan brilliantly. A child-like character that could be played very simply, but what Griffith delivers is a believable, feeling human being layered with both youth and maturity. Arielle Rombough’s Wendy is equally deep and sweet, but they are counter balanced by the pirates. Smee (Kira Bradley) and Starkey (Laryssa Yanchak) are the bumbling assistants to the deliciously evil and yet polite Captain Hook (Trevor Leigh.) Leigh’s portrayal of Hook is over the top without being campy, and his scenes are some of the biggest highlights of an outstanding show.
The key to what makes this performance so successful is the casting. White has put together a group of young actors with boundless energy. They add layers to their characters that, in different actors, simply would not be there. It’s got enough varying, intelligent stories to appeal to thinking adults, and enough glitz and visual excitement to keep the kids interested. The script is filled with many great lines that are delivered with such flair that they generate dozens of laugh out loud moments. In addition, the stage is thrust out into the audience – the characters feel literally inches away, and come through various parts of the audience, breaking down the third wall to make you feel like you are part of the show.
One of the highlights of the show is when Peter, Wendy, John and Michael take flight to Neverland. Using machines designed by Victoria’s Sven Johanssen, they soar above the stage, dip, flip and dive. According to my young companions the machines were quite interesting to see. I never noticed, I was too busy seeing it as magic. Now I want to fly, and you will too.
After the lights went up I got the reviews from the kids. “Super awesome!” said Sienna. “I loved it!” added Dakota. They then both asked if we could see it again...and again. We then headed into the lobby for the traditional opening night champagne reception – with ginger ale for the kids. It was there that I rediscovered one of the beauties of live children’s theatre. As the two little darlings made their way through the crowd, they singled out the actors, making a beeline for them. When their eyes met, both the actors’ and childrens’ faces lit up. Each and every member of the cast was gracious with their time and spent several minutes talking to them. The expression on the girls’ face as they got to meet Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Wendy just minutes after seeing them perform truly made my night.
I’m a grown up. Someday, the kids who were in the audience will be grown ups. But for a few spectacular hours we flew away to Neverland and rediscovered the desire to never grow up, to play and frolic and fight pirates and forget about our troubles. Won’t you too head down to ATP and rediscover that youngster that was once you?
Alberta Theatre Projects presents
Peter Pan
November 25th to December 7th, 2006
www.atplive.com
Box office: (403) 294-7402
