Theo Shakes (Peter Pan) and Jennifer Ludlam (Captain Hook) face off in the Auckland Theatre Company and Nightsong’s Peter Pan. Photo / Dean Purcell
Theo Shakes (Peter Pan) and Jennifer Ludlam (Captain Hook) face off in the Auckland Theatre Company and Nightsong’s Peter Pan. Photo / Dean Purcell
REVIEW
Since launching in 2017, independent theatre company Nightsong has put on some of the most elaborate productions seen on the Auckland stage.
From costumes and sets to puppetry and forced perspectives, co-artistic directors Carl Bland and Ben Crowder know how to stage a show, with previous works Mr Red Light and I Want To Be Happy memorable for the sheer innovation of the productions as much as for the story and acting.
It’s no surprise, given their success, that Nightsong have now teamed up with Auckland Theatre Company to bring their latest work, Peter Pan, to life. Utilising the larger budget and a bigger space at the ASB Waterfront Theatre, this clearly was an opportunity for Nightsong to go bigger than ever, and it shows.
The whole stage is utilised throughout the production - the front has been extended to make the ocean around Neverland, while a live band and the rigging of the Jolly Roger add to the depth of the staging. Multiple screens rise and fall during the show, bringing different projections
The bedroom of the Darling children forms the main set, and where the story starts. It’s only Wendy and John in this latest adaptation - Michael’s bed is there as well, but there’s a dark twist to this story that quickly becomes apparent and sets the tone for the rest of the show.
The opening scenes quickly showcase the detail of the production. There’s shadowed projections, exploding confetti, a magic chest of drawers, and Peter Pan (Theo Shakes) flies through overhead on wires. Wendy (Nova Moala-Knox) delivers a strong musical number near the start, and there’s even a real dog to play Nana.
Nova Moala-Knox plays Wendy. Photo / Dean Purcell
The theatrical magic continues as the beds are covered up and transformed into a cold, slightly dystopic Neverland, where the Lost Boys are dressed in white and Captain Hook (Jennifer Ludlam, in a dual role as Mr Darling) and his crew are all in black. It’s a Neverland that has gone a little wrong, something that the Darling children quickly notice, but what’s holding this island back takes a while to be made clear.
There is a lot going on in the show, and the various pieces of the production individually stand out. The costumes, from the mermaids to a wolf-dressed Tiger Lily, are astounding, and many of the large-scale props - in particular a very large crocodile - are stunning.
Ludlam, a Nightsong regular, astounds in her roles, devouring the scenery in the best way, with Andrew Grainger a great foil as Smee. Moala-Knox and Angus Stevens as John bring a youthful maturity to the Darling children, Tupe Lualua shines in her brief scenes as Mrs Darling, and the wider ensemble of young performers flourish as the Lost Boys.
The show is packed with story and theatrical conventions, so much so that little of it has room to come to life. The fun of flying through the air and giant crocodiles contrasts with a rather bleak story, one that takes over the show by the end. The Darling family tragedy clashes with an emotionally stunted Peter Pan (Theo Shakes), his charged relationship with Tinkerbell (Junghwi Jo), and broader questions about childhood and growing up, which all feel in conflict with one another.
Many of the characters feel underdeveloped and under-utilised, none more so than Anika Moa’s widely advertised role as the Mermaid Queen.
Anika Moa as the Mermaid Queen. Photo / Dean Purcell
She is abandoned on the side of the stage to play instruments, only occasionally being included in the plot. And despite a number of musical numbers, she is only a background singer to them, which feels disrespectful to her talents.
There were technical issues as well on opening night, notably with the actor’s mics not turned on when it was their turn to speak, and musical cues not lining up with the moments of action. It added to the feeling that the production is trying to do too much and can’t quite deliver on all of it.
It should be noted that this show is aimed at family audiences, and definitely had the most children at an ATC opening night I’ve ever seen, but the long show and the increasingly depressing tone doesn’t feel like a natural fit for the school holiday crowd.
You can’t deny the ambition behind Peter Pan, and from a pure spectacle level, there’s a lot to feast on throughout the show. And there are two promising shows here: one Peter Pan that stays young and plays into the pantomime, and one Peter Pan that grows up and tackles the bigger issues of life. This Peter Pan tries to be both, and fails to fly as a result.
What: Peter Pan
Where: ASB Waterfront Theatre, until November 3rd.
