THEATRE REVIEW: Peter Pan: Live! - NBC / The Shows Must Go On

Coming straight off the back of NBC's 'Sound Of Music Live' which met with very mixed critical appreciation, this was their next Musical to be given the "live" treatment, and was released in 2014.

Filmed at The Grumman Studios in New York, the set, once again, was the thing which really let this production down the most. The production is not "live" in any sense of the word, except that all those performing in the show are still quick! And the set is a very strange compromise between a stage set and a film set, and sits awkwardly in the middle never really knowing whether to take itself seriously or not. The London citiscape was laughable, since all the buildings had been made to a different scale, and didn't sit well together at all, not to mention the fact that The Elizabeth Tower, the famous part of Westminster Abbey which houses Big Ben was a solo feature in anomngst the buildings, and all were completely dwarfed by the Darling's house which was life size. Once we arrived in Neverland, it was the strangest and most incomprehensible I have ever seen for Neverland. A small mound under which was the Lost Boys' hideout, and yet, the cast were seen to walk aound this mound interminably "pretending" not to notice it! Moreover, the floor had the word "NEVERLAND" in bold tyed across it, and streams and water painted onto it which the cast completely ignored walking in and through it without care. I did like the ship, and the rowing boat, and the little island. These did work much better than others, but in general, the set was most offputting and bizarre.

As with all the "live" filmings of musicals I have thus far seen, there was a distinct lack of atmosphere. This is absolutely not the performers' fault, but that of the idea of it being a "live" performance without any audience and without any continuity. Either film a live stage show or make a film, and then perhaps the director can also make up his mind which of the two mediums and directions he wants to go in with his cast. Some things would have worked brilliantly on stage - for example the flying, of which there was a lot, and was expertly done (Flying by Foy). BUT... since we are using the medium of film, surely the cables could have been edited out for the viewing. On stage we accept such things, on film we don't.

The majority of the version shown for this was the Jule Styne / Betty Comden / Adolph Green 1954 musical, but there were some additions to this with music by Moose Charlap and lyrics Carolyn Leigh. I know that the original cast of this show used a female Peter Pan - famously Mary Martin  (I proudly own the OBC recording with Martin on a record); however, I am still of the opinion that Peter Pan should be a young man. Female Pans are for pantomimes. And yes, that's just a personal preference, and highly subjective.. but I make no apology for it. However, that being said, Allison Williams did make a very good job of Peter Pan in this film.

Christian Borle played both Mr. Darling and Smee, giving both his characters a quite distinctive edge. Kelli O'Hara was Mrs. Darling and was most sympathetic and motherly. Young John and Michael were portrayed by Jake Lucas and John Allyn, whilst Wendy was Taylor Louderman. Wendy's part was much bigger here than I remember from previous verisons, but it is a long time since I have seen a Musical and not a Peter Panto! Louderman had a lovely voice and was a strong lead. Her chemistry with Williams was effective, and her anti-relationship with Tiger Lily (Alanna Saunders) was very well measured. The strangest characterisation came from Christopher Walken as Captain Hook. Playing his role somewhere as a cross between Fu Manchu and Alan Rickman, and seemingly on some kind of calmant medication, he simply failed to impress on any level sadly. Such a large and important role too, and yet, he was ineffectual and lacked pizzazz.

With so many odd costume choices, and a narrative that simply didn't add up - boys falling out of prams becoming lost boys which never grow up.. therefore they should be babies and yet they were all played by twenty-somethings! Along with the "time" for the three children to return to home was longer than the time for Peter to revisit Wendy, and yet, when the children returned home it was the same length of time they had spent in Neverland, and when Peter Pan called at the end, Wendy was adult and with small children, and according to Peter he had come back the next day.... and many more very strange things which when analysed simply didn't make any sense. However, the show is primarily for children and so one needs to look at and critique it on that level, and even on that level it didn't work. I have a 5 year old neice and an 8 yesr old nephew, and they both were bored with this within the first 10 - 15 minutes. It simply failed to engage them on any level. Naturally, live theatre is much better at doing that, and maybe the story as was presented here would have worked better with a live audience; but children now are so used to instant action, instant gratification, and can so easily switch off and turn channel etc and here the show took ever such a long time to get going, and spent too long in London and not enough time doing what the children want.... sword fights, conflict, adventure, and scarily comedic crocodiles!

Reviewer - Chris Benchley
on - 20/6/20