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Peter panned
| Source: |
NOW Magazine |
| Date: |
December 6, 2007 |
| Author: |
Debbie Fein-Goldbach |
PETER PAN: THE FAMILY MUSICAL THAT'S SILLY, VERY SILLY! by
Chris Earle, based on the play by J.M. Barrie, directed by Susan
H. Schulman (Ross Petty). At the Elgin (189 Yonge). To January
6. $49-$74. 416-872-5555. Rating: NN
With his lanky frame and bald head, Canadian figure skating champ Kurt
Browning doesn't exactly look boyish, but he brings plenty of energy
and an endearing naíveté to the modernized panto Peter Pan: The Family
Musical That's Silly, Very Silly . Despite his Olympian efforts as
Peter, however, this show doesn't take home the gold.
It should work. It has a strong supporting cast, a skilled live band
and an animated Ross Petty as a more sarcastic than scary Captain
Hook. Writer Chris Earle 's version mostly stays true to the original
tale of the Darling children who fly to Neverland with Peter
Pan. However, Earle overstuffs the script with groan-inducing jokes
and worn-out pop-culture references. (Haven't we laughed enough at
Clay Aiken and Michael Jackson?)
Director Susan H. Schulman uses Browning's natural strengths as a
performer, especially in the brilliant scene when Peter finally takes
down Hook.
But too often, Schulman relies on cute. Bringing up three kids from
the audience adheres to panto tradition and gets cheers, but it feels
like a plot-advancing cop-out. Even the wonderful Eddie Glen 's
caustic style gets neutered in a floppy dog suit.
By the second act, some production aspects become annoying, like the
persistent raising and lowering of the curtain between scenes, the
projection of signage forwards, then backwards to indicate the
location of action (it comes off like a technical gaffe) and overt
product placements.
Uninspired cover-tune musical numbers like the one of hokey TV theme
song Believe It Or Not, I'm Walking On Air give choreographer Tracey
Flye little to work with. Even the rousing River Deep, Mountain High
feels gimmicky, although Walk On By, from the same era, sounds
fabulous. And Donnie MacPhee brings down the house as a rapping
crocodile.
Updating this show with a rap song and digital-age references makes it
accessible to a young audience. Too bad it isn't more magical, or even
as silly as it proclaims.
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