Peter Pan: The Never Ending Story got off to a rocky start on Wednesday at the World Trade Centre. Instead of kicking off at 7pm as promised, the opening show was delayed as a horde of audience members were stuck in the box office area trying to get their tickets. The congestion was so severe that even those who already had their tickets could barely cut through the lines to enter the venue.
By 7.30pm, children in the audience — some there from Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs, which lead stars Sandor Surbl (Peter Pan) and Lilly-Jane Young (Wendy) visited earlier in the month – were whistling and applauding in an attempt to get the show started. When a voice from the overhead speakers announced that it would start at 7.45pm, the applause turned to unceremonious booing.
But once the show began, it was clear that we were in for a dreamy, albeit unusual ride. Tinker Bell’s voice filled the arena as she began her show-long narration with, “Do you believe in fairies?” A collection of dancers in red took the stage as she spoke, setting up an ethereal atmosphere.
The stage was made up primarily of an open book, which had “traps” through which the cast members and props appeared and disappeared. A small hill behind it contained the engine that would blow Peter Pan upwards, without strings or a harness, so it would appear as though he was flying. Against a starry backdrop, a row of differently-sized and-shaped screens projected different worlds, changing from outer space, to a library, and eventually to the pirate’s bay, the Lost Boys’ forest and Neverland, occasionally filling with waterfalls and greenery.
The first hour-long act lacked momentum, reserved for the introduction of key characters — Peter Pan, Wendy, her parents and two brothers, Captain Hook, The Lost Boys and the pirates. There were some stand-out moments, like an oversized dog by the name of Nana making its way through the delighted audience to the stage, or Tinker Bell shooting through the crowd as a spark of fire with a loud rocketing sound accompanying her.
At the end of the first act, Tinker Bell orders Wendy be shot down from the sky with an arrow; however, the arrowhead is stopped by an acorn necklace that Peter had given Wendy as a “kiss” at the beginning of the show. Peter punishes Tinker Bell by locking her in a box and he and Wendy frolic while singing an impressive rendition of Seal’s Kiss from a Rose, one of 16 covers that the musical contained.
Enchanting
The second act was more action-filled, with the Indians being introduced. However, the trajectory of the story soon proved bleak and depressing. Even the mood music took on otherworldly and disturbing qualities, making me question whether bringing a child to the show was a good idea or if it was a recipe for nightmares and premature existential crises. The theme that strung the show together was death, evident through Tiger Lily, the lead indigenous character, being attacked, the pirates being out for blood, Peter nearly being poisoned and Tinker Bell drinking Hook’s fatal concoction instead so that she struggled for her life. As the show progressed, more and more characters fall to their death or near-deaths.
Lebanese superstar Myriam Fares, who played Tinker Bell for the opening night, performed an evocative rendition of You Raise Me Up towards the end to the loud cheers of audience members, redeeming the hopefulness of the story. Peter revved the crowd up and asked them to stand and sing with him that they believed in fairies, even jumping down from the stage to do so. Tinker Bell was kept alive through the audience’s belief in her.
In areas where the show failed to uplift the audience, it excelled in enchanting them. It was a visually-stunning, innovative and state-of-the-art theatrical performance that packed a few surprises and managed to keep the crowd’s attention from straying for too long, even inspiring a few rounds of applause. A three-metre long, glittering crocodile circling the stage was a delight to see, and the performers did a striking job with their vocal performances. The acrobatics were kept to a minimum, but they were exciting nonetheless during the scenes where performers built human pyramids and towers, adding a dramatic flare to a classic tale.
The show came to a close with a final battle against Captain Hook, which ended in him being eaten by the crocodile who had taken his hand and inspired his nickname in the first place. In the finale, a waving and smiling Wendy and Peter sailed away to their respective homes, Peter to Neverland, and Wendy back to the safety of London.
* Tickets, priced Dh195-Dh1,295, are available on platinumlist.ae. Show at 7pm on weekdays, and at 3pm and 7pm on weekends.
