Peter Pan by the Dukes, Lancaster
runs from 2 July - 7 August 2010 in Williamson Park, Lancaster,
review by Alan Chard
Production photographs : Press Release : Review
The Dukes and Williamson Park present Peter Pan
By J M Barrie, adapted by Paul Sirett
2 July 2010 - 7 August 2010
It was a dark and stormy night, the rain came down in torrents, but the show went on and by the interval the rain had stopped, but this was still a memorable night of theatre that everyone who took part in can be proud of.
The action begins at the back of the Williamson Memorial, where the cast of the Neverland Circus entertains the audience with their antics before the play proper starts. A special guest, Mr Barrie, acts as narrator and tells us about the story that is to unfold. He tells us that he wrote it for his young friends in the park.
The story begins outside the Ashton Memorial that is transformed into the Darling family residence. Peter is a self-centred lad, with emotional problems and likes to tell Wendy not to touch him.
The action moves down the path to Neverland which is a giant hollow below the Ashton Memorial complete with decorated trees and a trapeze. In this location we see short ladders tops protruding from group, these link extremely well with the ladders that are seen later. Our storyteller, Mr Barrie, smiled through the rain from under his umbrella helping the audience decide which way to go next.
The audience moves to the lake for find mermaids blowing bubbles while Peter rows Wendy around in a small boat as she tries to catch bubbles. This was an action-packed scene in which the lake setting was used to great effect, with lots of messing about in boats. Peter and Wendy escape through ingenuity and audience help because Peter can't fly after being injured in the fight. This was a magical experience that the audience will take with them. When I looked around at the audience they were spellbound.
After an interval, the action continues in the underground home of the Lost Boys, set deep under the dark woods of Williamson Park. As mentioned before the scenery linked beautifully to a previous location by the use of ladders, and being the underground home of the Lost Boys the dark was truly atmospheric. Again audience help is needed, this time to save Tinkerbell after she drinks the poison the Captain Hook intended for Peter.
Action then moves to the steps of the memorial for the final scene, the building itself transformed into a very realistic pirate ship. After various antics and a long battle scene Hook walks the plank and is eaten by the crocodile.
By some skillful theatrics the scene becomes the Darling house, in the nursery, Mrs. Darling awaits for her children’s return. Mr. Darling has taken to the dog house. Peter and Tinkerbell fly in and shut the window to prevent the children returning Mrs Darling is so unhappy even Peter is moved and he opens the window and the children return. In the whole production this is the only point that Peter shows any feeling for anyone else. Wendy keeps questioning him throughout the play asking him to express his true feelings for her. The family is reunited, the lost boys are adopted but then in a twist of pure theatre explained by the narrator the story is brought to a conclusion.
Throughout this production, David Acton who plays Mr Barrie and Captain Hook holds the whole thing together, as the narrator he has a great smiling face that captures the audience and holds their attention. There are some great theatrical moments that made me recall Alan Bennett plays where time and place are switched momentarily to great effect.
An interesting and though provoking adaptation; given the hysteria surrounding pedophilia in the UK, it is interesting to speculate about whether we would have stories like this if J M Barrie were trying to tell stories to children in the park today.
Alan Chard, July 2010