Wendy and Peter Pan (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Directed by Jonathan Munby
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon – 16 Jan 16
Pure escapism for both adults and children alike, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s recent production of Wendy and Peter Pan is both comfortingly familiar and wonderfully refreshing at the same time. Adapted by Ella Hickson, this version of J. M. Barrie’s legendary tale takes the story as most people know it, pulls it apart, and puts it back together again with a new emphasis. As the title would suggest, Wendy (played by Mariah Gale) gets more of a leading role than in previous adaptations, and Hickson’s variation tells the story through her eyes as much as through Peter Pan’s (Rhys Rusbatch). Rather than playing a side role in a boys’ adventure story Wendy gets her own drive and her own journey, qualities her character has long been denied.
The fuel behind Wendy’s character is provided by the inclusion of a fourth Darling child, Tom (played by Sam Clemmett), who brings a number of new aspects to the traditional story. Tom’s death early on in the play allows for a different insight into the concept of “lost boys” as well as bringing to light another side of the figure of Peter Pan. Wendy believes that her dead brother is lost and needs finding, and it is this belief that drives her desire to go to Neverland. Her search for her “lost boy” powers all of her actions throughout the play, making her a far more relatable character than the girl who merely plays at being “mother”. Peter meanwhile comes to the Darlings’ window not to hear stories but to take Tom away when he dies, a nod to J. M. Barrie’s novel and the legend of Peter as a companion for dead children on their way to heaven.
As a rather prominent feature of the Peter Pan story, how the characters would fly was always going to be an intriguing aspect of the production. Whilst some of the flying is indeed fashioned by suspending the actors on ropes and wires, much of it is also created by Peter’s Shadow. A character in itself, and played by six identically dressed actors, the Shadow lifts, tosses and twirls Peter through the air in meticulously choreographed acrobatic sequences. It is amazing how quickly you start to look past the crush of people and just see the one flying figure. In a theatrical space such as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre it is practically impossible to conceal deceptions from the audience, so the “trick” of hiding the flying support in full view is really rather ingenious.
The set design for the production has a rather hybrid feel throughout, from the shabby chic and homey setting of the Darlings’ house to the more chaotic junk yard of the Lost Boys’ underground den (that literally rises up from underneath the stage). However, the more traditional Edwardian setting at the start of the play remains connected to the miscellany of Neverland by the means of a giant mobile-like structure above the stage. Utilised as a flying device for the actors, the mobile is also a prominent feature in the Darlings’ nursery, sporting recognisable objects from the story including a clock, a house and a crocodile.
Speaking of the crocodile, this minor but notable character played by Arthur Kyeyune becomes a dual figure in the play, appearing as the silent, mysterious doctor at Tom’s bedside as well as the creature that haunts Captain Hook (Darrell D’Silva). Despite his small role this was the characterisation that really stood out for me. Dressed as an Edwardian gentleman complete with top hat, scarf and a long scaly overcoat, Kyeyune brings the crocodile to life through movement alone, steadily pursuing Hook with an unnerving concentration. Alongside Kyeyune, actress Charlotte Mills’ portrayal as the flawed but lovable Tink was another stand-performance. Cranky, outspoken and vivacious, Tink “gets big when she’s full of feeling”, and in conjunction with Wendy and Tiger Lily (Mimi Ndiweni) helps to bring the focus of the play more onto the female characters and their outlook on the story.
Different perspectives and characterisations aside, Wendy and Peter Pan is a production ideal for theatre-lovers of all ages. With liberal sprinklings of fairy dust alongside a peppering of adult humour – there’s definitely a mention of fairy orgies – this play has taken a timeless story and made it ageless. It is often a rarity in theatre to find this quality, when productions are usually either too juvenile for adults or too complex for children. This idea is even delicately noted in the play itself, for the relationship between Wendy and Peter often mirrors that between Mr and Mrs Darling, highlighting the subtle crossover between children and adults. This is, therefore, a play perfect for both.
All the World's a Stage 