Review: ‘Peter Pan’ balances kitschy and camp

By Sara Davidson     10/8/24 10:54pm

Review: ★★★ stars

“Peter Pan,” the musical about a flying boy who never grows up and his adventures in Neverland, came to the Houston’s Hobby Center Oct. 1-6. The show made its Broadway debut in 1954, and though the technology and fly-systems have changed since its opening, classic songs such as “Never Never Land” and “Pirate Song” certainly have not. 

The story was comforting and nostalgic, bringing back memories of the childhood Disney movie. However, some of that magic was lost in the poor style choices made by the production. 

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The actors did a wonderful job, despite the most challenging part of “Peter Pan” — singing and dancing while suspended in the air. It seemed like every time that Peter himself was up in the air, he was flipping, singing and dancing all at the same time, and was always able to land on his feet and continue on as if he was just strolling across the stage. 

Captain Hook and his right-hand man, Mr. Smee, were also a crowd favorite, conveying the often-silly storyline while also adding in adult innuendos that got everyone laughing. 

While the story felt familiar and the characters performed very well, some of the more modern elements of the adaptation fell flat. Mixing musical theater with background screens instead of a traditional cyclorama backdrop is always a gamble, and like most others, “Peter Pan” did not come out on top. The fake storm scene that was brewing in the background felt like a movie was playing, while the singing animated moon that grew from the night sky appeared tacky and cheap. 

A cyclorama that just had colors to compliment the scene on stage would have been enough, especially considering the already elaborate set alongside the cool shadow projection that was used to highlight Peter Pan’s shadow during the story.

Additionally, issues with some of the basic elements of the story make for a confusing musical. Time is never well defined during the show, and it’s unclear how long Wendy and her two brothers were in Neverland before they returned home to their mother and father. Also (spoiler alert) the adult Wendy simply lets her daughter leave for Neverland so she can go experience the same adventures, with uncertainty regarding if Wendy realized how long she spent the first time around. 

Poorly-defined passage of time might be a consistent piece of the show across all adaptations, but with 21st-century level technology such as iPads used as props, it doesn’t feel totally out of line to wish for a more defined timeline. 

This last issue was the acknowledgement of the Native lands that the Hobby Center sits on at the beginning of the performance. Though this moment was supposed to be a chance for reflection, even tying into the musical with fights for the land on Neverland Island between the natives and pirates, the significance was diminished by the mispronunciation of the tribes’ names. Since the group will continue to travel on this revival tour, ensuring that the person chosen to honor the American Indian land has read the names out loud before would be helpful. 

Overall, “Peter Pan” is a musical that brings out the kiddy storyline and reminds its audience of simpler times from childhood movies. However, the incorporation of new and old technological elements detract from the overall enjoyment. “Peter Pan” should stick to soaring across the stage, not forcing crescent moons to sing along in a song about pirates.

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