REVIEW | Peter Pan, Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Peter Pan
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
★★★★
Soaring onto the stage at Birmingham Repertory Theatre this Christmas is a re-imagining of a much-loved story, Peter Pan. It's probably one of the most beloved stories of all time and has stood the test of time because it can be interpreted in many ways. This production is no different and Birmingham is in for a treat with this reimagination because it's set in the heart of their wonderful city.
Following on from last year's acclaimed retelling of The Wizard of Oz (read the review here), Director Liam Steel is back to deliver a story alongside co-adapter Georgia Christou that tells the story through the eyes of Wendy, as she recaptures her childhood, before its too late.
Set in central Birmingham, we are introduced to Wendy and her two brothers, Michael and John who live in a flat with their foster mother Jess. Wendy and Jess' relationship is at breaking point, largely down to Wendy's own struggle to allow anyone to take over the responsibility of her younger brothers. One fateful evening she meets Peter Pan and is whisked away to a Neverland where she will discover what she has lost and become a child in her own right again.
Of course, it's not without an introduction to The Lost Boys and of course, the sassy Tink. Collectively the cast brings so much joy and character to their individual characters. They brought the childlike loveable characters we'd want to meet in Neverland that's for sure! There's also the fight between Hook and Peter Pan which is still here within the re-imagining of this story.
Cora Tsang takes on the role of the feisty and strong-minded young woman Wendy. I thought Tsang had exceptional stage presence in a production that captures an incredible amount of sound and media to create their vision. Tsang does a great job at capturing the more vulnerable side to Wendy's character too and had the audience with her throughout her entire journey. Lawrence Walker is cheeky and lots of fun as Peter Pan, especially as he rises and flies around the stage.
Visually, this production is sensational and most definitely has the wow factor. The main backdrop is the Birmingham estate on which the Darlings live and it definitely delivers the sense of home in this story. The space transforms into many different places and each perfectly captures the audience's imagination, especially within Neverland. Michael Pavelka does some genius work here and even the use of recycled plastics throughout the production is well-executed, giving great foundations for more productions to be single-use material friendly.
There's a really lively soundtrack in this production that fuses different styles, more apparent to modern audiences, but not all of these were to my individual preference, unfortunately. I felt as though some scene transitions could have been tighter but there was definitely heaps of energy and fun through to the heart of this production. It has most definitely brought a well-loved story to life and it has the potential to be far slicker and punchier over time.
It is not your typical Christmas production but it's definitely one I'd encourage you to try out for yourself! Peter Pan is a delightfully big adventure you must take for youself.
Peter Pan is performing at the Birmingham Rep until 19 January 2020.
Soaring onto the stage at Birmingham Repertory Theatre this Christmas is a re-imagining of a much-loved story, Peter Pan. It's probably one of the most beloved stories of all time and has stood the test of time because it can be interpreted in many ways. This production is no different and Birmingham is in for a treat with this reimagination because it's set in the heart of their wonderful city.
Following on from last year's acclaimed retelling of The Wizard of Oz (read the review here), Director Liam Steel is back to deliver a story alongside co-adapter Georgia Christou that tells the story through the eyes of Wendy, as she recaptures her childhood, before its too late.
Set in central Birmingham, we are introduced to Wendy and her two brothers, Michael and John who live in a flat with their foster mother Jess. Wendy and Jess' relationship is at breaking point, largely down to Wendy's own struggle to allow anyone to take over the responsibility of her younger brothers. One fateful evening she meets Peter Pan and is whisked away to a Neverland where she will discover what she has lost and become a child in her own right again.
Of course, it's not without an introduction to The Lost Boys and of course, the sassy Tink. Collectively the cast brings so much joy and character to their individual characters. They brought the childlike loveable characters we'd want to meet in Neverland that's for sure! There's also the fight between Hook and Peter Pan which is still here within the re-imagining of this story.
Cora Tsang takes on the role of the feisty and strong-minded young woman Wendy. I thought Tsang had exceptional stage presence in a production that captures an incredible amount of sound and media to create their vision. Tsang does a great job at capturing the more vulnerable side to Wendy's character too and had the audience with her throughout her entire journey. Lawrence Walker is cheeky and lots of fun as Peter Pan, especially as he rises and flies around the stage.
Visually, this production is sensational and most definitely has the wow factor. The main backdrop is the Birmingham estate on which the Darlings live and it definitely delivers the sense of home in this story. The space transforms into many different places and each perfectly captures the audience's imagination, especially within Neverland. Michael Pavelka does some genius work here and even the use of recycled plastics throughout the production is well-executed, giving great foundations for more productions to be single-use material friendly.
There's a really lively soundtrack in this production that fuses different styles, more apparent to modern audiences, but not all of these were to my individual preference, unfortunately. I felt as though some scene transitions could have been tighter but there was definitely heaps of energy and fun through to the heart of this production. It has most definitely brought a well-loved story to life and it has the potential to be far slicker and punchier over time.
It is not your typical Christmas production but it's definitely one I'd encourage you to try out for yourself! Peter Pan is a delightfully big adventure you must take for youself.
Peter Pan is performing at the Birmingham Rep until 19 January 2020.