When seeing a show – without first reading the reviews, the feedback or the blurbs – to sometimes just turn up and see what happens. Obviously, sometimes that can go extremely wrong, but Peter and the Starcatcher delivers absolute magic.
The first inkling that this is going to be particularly special is the appearance of Paul Capsis entering, stage left. Yes. The Paul Capsis. A living legend, a cabaret icon and someone who should be a household name.
The audience is then treated to a veritable cavalcade of Australian stage (and offstage) legends, including, in no particular order, Peter Helliar, Colin Lane (of Lano & Woodley) and Alison Whyte.
Olivia Deeble and Otis Dhanji, who I am reliably informed are in Home and Away and Aquaman respectively, take on the two lead roles.
This play, based on the book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, is a prequel to the Peter Pan story, when Peter was just a lost boy, Captain Hook was a pirate with a large mo and Molly hadn’t yet had her daughter, Wendy.
It’s rare to find a production that is able to weave together scripting for kids that’s just as amusing for adults.
It was first performed in 2009 before moving to an off-Broadway production in 2011 and then finally onto Broadway in 2012, where it won five Tony Awards that year.
This new Australian production will tour to three other states after Melbourne running into 2025 and features 15 actors and musicians, 100 characters, 90 puppets and 60 costumes onstage. It’s a joint production by Dead Puppet Society, Glass Half Full Productions, JONES Theatrical Group and Damien Hewitt.
Put bluntly, this show is magic and this is the case for a number of reasons. The first is the scripting.
It’s rare to find a production that is able to weave together scripting for kids that’s just as amusing for adults. But this is the production’s greatest achievement. The jokes that have been modernised for these strange times (think: references to Elon Musk and the like) don’t fall flat; they’re hilarious. And there are enough double entendres and adult humour to maintain the concentration of the adults amid the fart jokes, physical humour and special effects for the kids.
Meanwhile, there is more than a touch of ad lib from Colin Lane and not once did he miss his mark. Even when he was taking the mickey out of my five-year-old who dared to call out during a moment of peak excitement (“I don’t speak kindy. This is not panto. [Pause]. Too much?”). Spoiler: it was not too much. It was utterly perfect and he was laughing along with the rest of us.
Should we actually demand a resurgence of pantomime culture in this country? Let us park that for the time being.
The second stroke of genius is the casting. Some of the recent ‘big name’ casting moments have fallen somewhat flat in the all-important execution, but putting Helliar in the role of Smee really works. He underplays the character, but that’s OK because Smee is ripe to be underplayed. Lane’s pirate also provides so much comedy that Smee’s usual comedic relief isn’t needed – there isn’t room for a ‘big’ Smee on stage – and they riff off each other beautifully. Helliar’s comedic timing doesn’t miss a beat and some of his own improv is also complementary.
The two lead actors Deeble and Dhanji are excellent. While both are given few comic bits, they play their earnest storyline convincingly, and more than one or two teary theatregoers could be seen wiping their cheeks as the lights came up. Whyte is also wonderful and leans into her comedic lines, though her character is certainly far more strait-laced than some of the others.
And now to Capsis. While the seasoned stage performer’s presence always draw the audience’s eyes to him on stage and while he certainly occupies several key roles, it would have been better to see him shine more and indulge in some more of his trademark cabaret. His extraordinarily camp Captain Slank ‘flirting’ with Lucy Goleby’s Mrs Bumbrake is amusing, but can also perhaps be described as the only [intentionally] unconvincing performance he’s ever given on stage. Total perfection.
Speaking of which, Goleby’s performance is as strong as any other on stage, as are John Batchelor as Alf, Benjin Mazza as Ted, Morgan Francis as Prentiss and Ryan González, who is truly exceptional as Fighting Prawn.
This fantastic show really is one for the whole family. The performances are at times moving and at others so funny I had tears rolling down my cheeks. The live music performed on stage and lighting effects add to the magic, as does the creative staging and wonderful puppetry that brings huge crocodiles, flamingos and birds to life.
However, one quarter of a star has been deducted for the play running longer than feels necessary at two and a half hours including intermission. Yet, despite concerns that it may be difficult to re-enter the world occupied by the play, the opening number of the second half turns out to be spectacular
Read: Book review: Annihilation, Michel Houellebecq
The other quarter of a star was deducted for inconsistent accents on the part of some of the actors.
Despite those extremely minor issues, you really do need to beg, borrow or steal a ticket for this show; this is not one to miss.
Peter and the Starcatcher
Arts Centre Melbourne
Written by Rick Elice
Music: Wayne Barker
Director and Designer: David Morton
Musical Director and Additional Music by: James Dobinson
Movement Director: Liesel Zink
Lighting Designer: Ben Hughes
Costume Designer: Anna Cordingley
Sound Designer: Matthew Erskine
Casting Director: Michael Topple
Creative Producer: Nicholas Paine
Associate Director: Matt Seery
Cast: John Batchelor, Paul Capsis, Olivia Deeble, Otis Dhanji, Morgan Francis, Lucy Goleby, Ryan González, Colin Lane, Pete Helliar, Benjin Maza, Hugh Parker, Alison Whyte, James Haxby, Erika Naddei, Natasha Veselinovic, Annie Silva-McKnight, Luke Volker
Tickets: from $79
Peter and the Starcatcher will be performed until 1 December 2024 before touring to Adelaide, Sydney and Queensland in 2025.
