Review: Wendy & Peter Pan (Barbican Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

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A bit of magic flies into the Barbican Theatre this Autumn as the RSC’s acclaimed production of Wendy & Peter Pan makes its long-awaited London premiere, putting a new spin on the J.M. Barrie classic and taking audiences to Neverland. Would this fresh take on the much-loved story be able to fly without the sprinkling of fairy dust, or would it suffer from poor choices that Never land?

Based on J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, a story that has entertained generations since it first premiered in 1904 and has gone on to live in various mediums across TV, film and Barrie’s own 1911 novel, seemingly never ageing with time. Ella Hickson’s adaptation of the story takes it back to where it started, in the form of a play, flipping the narrative somewhat to give Wendy top-billing over Peter. Premiering at the RSC in 2013 and enjoying a couple of revivals since, it’s taken 12 long years but Wendy & Peter Pan is finally in London… and it was certainly more than worth the wait.

Many of you reading this will surely know the story of Peter Pan inside out, but Ella Hickson’s Wendy & Peter Pan offers a new twist on the tale. After the devastating loss of her youngest brother, Wendy and her two other brothers leave the Darling nursery behind, joining Peter Pan and Tink as they venture to Neverland, all in the hope of finding the lost boy that is her brother, and hopefully helping her parents rediscover their forgotten joy at the same time. Along the way, she meets some new friends and enemies, and as is so often the case, has to fight a group of pirates, led by the villainous Captain Hook. Would Wendy be able to rediscover all that was lost before she flies back to London?

J.M. Barrie’s story remains an undisputed classic, with Peter Pan becoming one of the most iconic characters there are, and even entering the everyday lexicon as a term to describe never growing up. Hickson’s twist on the story is faithful to the 121 year old tale in all the right ways, and updates it in all the others, creating a fresh and bold version of the story. Amplifying the women’s voices in the story is not just an inspired touch but a much-needed belated one, righting a wrong from the history of the story. Putting Wendy front and centre, the women in the story become more empowered, no longer reduced to a one-dimensional caricature, with even Wendy’s mother getting a beefed up story.

One of the more inspired touches in Hickson’s Wendy & Peter Pan is the addition of a fourth Darling sibling. Yes, you could argue it is slightly morbid to create a new brother only to kill him off minutes into the story, but it adds a new element to the story. The lost boys of Neverland become something else entirely, adding a whole new level that feels almost spiritual in its nature. The stakes are higher than ever in this adaptation, and rather than chase the love of the boy who burst into her childhood bedroom, Wendy is fighting for the love of her family. It’s a beautiful addition to the story and part of the reason why Wendy & Peter Pan soars to record heights.

With the inclusion of modern touches, including some recent lingo that has never been seen in Neverland before and the obligatory Shakespeare reference, the writer never falters, exuding joy through start to finish though veering dangerously close to panto territory, There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but a tone and style that jumps around slightly would be my only mild criticism. Wendy & Peter Pan does feel like the perfect show to entertain the whole family over the festive season, so it is a shame the show is only playing until November as I imagine kids and big kids alike would love to escape to Neverland over Christmas.

Equally thrilling is Jonathan Munby’s electric direction. Wendy & Peter Pan is a big production on a looming stage and Munby more than rises to the occasion through a series of spectacular choices. Recreating the magic found in the story and Neverland is no easy feat, but Munby manages this effortlessly, allowing pure escapism and bringing the magic to life, creating theatrical magic in the process of it.

One of the greatest strengths in Wendy & Peter Pan are the combined design aspects. Walking into the theatre, my jaw dropped at how intricate and detailed Colin Richmond’s set design is, faultlessly recreating the Darling’s nursery with a scattering of seemingly inconsequential props that have moments of significance as the play progresses. Working beautifully with Munby’s direction, it allows for some breathtaking scene transitions and set reveals that constantly filled me with childlike wonder. Oliver Fenwick’s lighting design regularly has moments of beauty, including one fantastic effect near the climax of act two, while Taika Udea’s video design transports audiences through its beauty,

It is an atmospheric production and one that is reliant on sound to transport you with a gorgeous inclusion of music from Shuhei Kamimura and sound design from Christopher Shutt. A show like this relies on its escapism and the faultless way all of the varying design elements tie together really allows this. By the time you leave the theatre, you may well believe you have flown to Neverland and back in London - though perhaps flying might be a more reliable way to get around than the London underground lately.

Wendy & Peter Pan also boasts a remarkable group of incredible talents who come together to form one of the finest ensemble casts you will see on a London stage this year. Hannah Saxby gives a confident star turn as Wendy Darling, leading the production with a Wendy for the ages in a role that showcases her strengths as an actress. Daniel Krikler gives a cheeky and cocky portrayal of Peter Pan, filled with a boyish charm that brings a splash of joy to the play. Together, they form a great team with chemistry exploding off the stage, though crucially Krikler never attempts to overshadow Saxby’s Wendy.

Elsewhere in the stacked cast, Lolita Chakrabarti makes a welcome return to the stage in a small but mighty role as Mrs Darling, Charlotte Mills is a hilarious standout as the attitude-laden Tink, stealing scenes with her appearances and one-liners, and Ami Tredrea has a magnetic presence as Tiger Lily. Tom Xander and Joe Hewetson are other highlights as Curly and Martin the Cabin Boy, but it is Toby Stephens who proves the biggest highlight with his panto-esque turn as Captain Hook. Getting the balance perfectly, he is part panto villain with a menacing touch though never to the point of terrifying and oddly seemed to have a similarity to Javert from Les Miserables to it, in a sentence I never thought I’d write about this particular story. Bringing elements of comedy to the role and even a touch of vulnerability (not to the extent that I was ever rooting for him), his was a performance that always had me hooked.

Wendy & Peter Pan is quite fittingly an awfully big adventure, but it is far from awful in itself. Fun for all the family, this production is perfect for children and those of us who are still children at heart leaving you feeling like you’d never grown up. It was a welcome relief to escape into a whimsical and magical world for a couple of hours before coming back to reality. Wendy & Peter Pan is a production so good and filled with such joy, it will make you believe in fairies, and certainly will have you clapping for them. If all it takes is one happy thought to make you fly, I will be thinking of my night watching this joyous and magical extravaganza.

Wendy & Peter Pan plays at Barbican Theatre until 22nd November. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/wendy-and-peter-pan-tickets 

Photos by Manuel Harlan