Wendy and Peter Pan at Barbican Review
Written by Mia for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The beloved tale of the boy who never grew up has been delighting adults and children alike for more than 100 years, in theatres, on screen and via the pages of the book. In recent years it has faced scrutiny for some of the themes it discusses, with revised editions released to ensure it continues to capture the hearts and minds of those who stumble across its magic.
In the RSC’s production Wendy and Peter Pan, playwright Ella Hickson challenges the stereotypes within the story and moves Wendy to the centre. It’s an excellent concept – let’s face it, Peter is extremely annoying, and Wendy always gets sidelined – but unfortunately just doesn’t deliver.
At first it seems hard to explain exactly why this is: there is not a weak member in the cast, the staging is incredible, and visually this is an exquisite production. Colin Richmond is a true mastermind; everything about the set stuns, from the Darling nursery to Pan’s lair, and the pirate ship is a design marvel. Taiki Ueda's video projections will transport viewers out of the theatre, as Shuhei Kamimura’s music perfectly sets the scene, evoking emotion and wonder. Lucy Hind has captured the essence of childhood, magic and playfulness in her choreography, and Oliver Fenwick’s lighting elevates the overall experience. These elements combined are truly magical – a masterclass in imagination and storytelling.
The problem lies with the script, and the play’s identity. In fact, it’s hard to see who the production is aimed at. Part play, part pantomime, the jokes are cringeworthy and often distasteful. Yes, children love to laugh at words like poo and bum, but this is the wrong humour for an interpretation which is quite dark and very sad; at its heart, Wendy and Peter Pan shows the ways in which humans deal with grief, and the guilt of being happy after the death of a loved one. It's also very long – at almost three hours, many children will struggle to stay engaged, especially given the adult themes.
It starts off well, with the Darling’s four adopted children playing in the nursery and conforming to traditional roles. Wendy (Hannah Saxby) is already maternal, fussing over the boys, while John (Fred Woodley Evans) and Michael (Kwaku Mills) are engaged in a battle with Tom (Alexander Molony). This scene is beautiful to watch, with excellent characterisation from all actors who manage to embody the essence of excitable children, without it going too far. Once the shadows – led by Peter Pan himself (Daniel Kirkler) enter, moving fluidly as if in flight, the expectation is one of wonder. Transitions between scenes work well, using the choreography, although perhaps the nursery is a little cluttered, making the scene change unnecessarily long.
Yet the first half is slow, and once we get to Neverland the wonder dissipates. There are only three lost boys, and a similar number of pirates, making the scenes feel a bit empty. The performances are good, but all the boys seem very young, so it’s not particularly realistic that any of them would stand a chance against any of the pirates, but let’s suspend belief there!
A lot of the action here is devoted to Peter being extremely irritating and Wendy being a bit pathetic, although the scene where she is trying to plan an adventure and the boys are shouting over her and demanding attention is well-observed. Saxby excels in her performance here and indeed later when she has rallied the troops and is fighting alongside the boys. Kirkler leans into Peter’s arrogance and immaturity a little too well and it’s surprising Wendy doesn’t slap him at one point!
Act II is faster paced, but leans so heavily into the pantomime angle, it feels awkward and detracts from the magic. One pirate even has rosy cheeks - on account of his hayfever - but makes him look more like Silly Billy, Simple Simon or similar. The character of Tink (Charlotte Mills) is a little on the coarse side, but suits the choice to portray her as a more rebellious fairy, which works well and the use of light to represent her when she’s small is highly effective and quite wondrous. While having Wendy and Tiger Lily (Ami Tredrea) team up is a nice touch, their camaraderie with Tink feels rushed and disingenuous.
As is traditional, Toby Stephens plays both Mr Darling and Captain Hook and his performance is excellent, while Scott Karim provides a welcome contrast to the cutthroat pirate crew as Smee. Lolita Chakrabarti is exceptional as Mrs Darling, but underutilised, and it is a shame she could not also play a part in Neverland (although the traditional second role has rightfully been cut). Poor Tiger-Lily also has very little stage time, although the nod to Hook’s Rufio with her costume and dialogue is appreciated.
The play’s ending is satisfying and poignant, striking a good balance between hope and grief, even if the rationale for lost boys appearing in Neverland doesn't quite make sense, as Wendy seems to be the catalyst, rather than Mrs Darling.
Although there is a lot to love in this new interpretation of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, overall it feels misguided, and the script quality does not match up to the production values. However, it is a visual spectacle that will send you soaring back to your own childhood, dreaming of Neverland.
★★★★
