First produced by Fly-On-The-Wall Theatre in 1989, director Robert Chuter returns with a new cast and production team for The Death of Peter Pan.
Set after World War I, this original Australian play follows Peter Pan author Sir J.M. Barrie’s adopted son Michael Llewelyn Davies (Kieran McShane), who becomes infatuated with the handsome, free-spirited Rupert Buxton (Jordan Armstrong). Based on true events, the young and reckless Buxton soon turns Davies’s world upside down, challenging the very notion of friendship, suppressed desires and young love. A tragic coming-of-age tale, The Death of Peter Pan promises to be a lush piece of theatre, but unfortunately, fails to deliver.
From its title alone, the play undoubtedly touches on similar thematic concerns and concepts from Peter Pan. From Captain Hook to fairy dust, references from Barrie’s works are scattered throughout the performance. The water motif is prevalent throughout the tale, whether as a tool to create an imaginary pirate ship, or as a metaphor for diving into the unknown.
Davies struggles with the bitter reality of growing up, his modernist dreams clashing with the conservative values of his father. The star-crossed lovers embark on an adventure of sorts, revealing a loss of innocence for both parties. The romance between Davies and Buxton on stage display issues about queer love and identity that holds relevant till today, proving that Barry Lowe’s script has aged well with time.
The Death of Peter Pan is frequently told with monologues by every character, but mainly through Barrie (Ian Rooney), who sits snugly on an armchair most of the play. Rooney is fairly competent as Barrie, although he appears more comfortable as a storyteller, rather than a key player in the story. McShane portrays Davies as an endearing young man, uncertain about the world about him.
The scenes that feature Davies with his friends, Robert Boothby (Matt Werkmeister) and Roger Senhouse (Sean Paisley Collins), are absolutely delightful. In particular, Collins manages to steal the limelight in every scene he is in. He dishes out witty remarks in an engagingly snarky manner, providing much-needed comic relief during the drama. Benjamin Byrne and Gabby Llewelyn-Salter are a fair supporting cast, playing Nico, Michael’s brother, and Mary Ansell respectively.
Armstrong’s bland portrayal of Buxton is, unfortunately, the major flaw in an otherwise decent cast. Besides his occasional stumbling of lines and even mistakenly calling a character by his wrong name, Armstrong’s cocky Buxton becomes a stereotype of itself. His tedious characterisation leads to an uneasy, unnatural interaction with the rest of the cast, and ultimately, fails to draw much sympathy from the audience.
With credit to Chuter’s direction, the cast does make excellent use of the stage. Costume designer Elissa Hullah presents sharp and beautiful Edwardian outfits that are bound to make Downton Abbey green with envy. The set design is remarkably inventive as well, as the play takes the audience from Eton, Paris, Scotland and Oxford without shifting a prop. The artful lighting, melodramatic music, and haze effects give a certain dream-like quality for the performance too. The opening scene features the only moment of synchronised movement between the two lovers, resulting in an ethereal atmosphere, which the play, regrettably, does not draw on later.
Despite its brief mentions of magical elements, The Death of Peter Pan is still very much grounded in reality. The play consists of exceptional ideas that remain relevant for the modern audience, but its overall conservative nature and clumsy blunders limit it from reaching new heights. If only they used some fairy dust…
Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars
The Death of Peter Pan
by Fly-on-the-Wall Theatre
22 May – 02 June 2013
Wednesday – Saturday 8pm, Sunday 6.30pm
Chapel off Chapel
Writer: Barry Lowe
Director: Robert Chuter
Costume Design: Elissa Hullah
Music: Andrew Bishop
Lighting Design: Rob Sowinski
Photography: Jacqueline Barkla
Stage Manager: Chloe Woodman
Cast: Kieran McShane, Jordan Armstrong, Matt Werkmeister, Gabby Llewlyn-Salter and Ian Rooney
