What if theatre were not always big and had no special effects and only this time, the cast become their own stagecraft? The results for that would be magnificent.
That's the real charm behind the Tony-winning play Peter and the Starcatcher, a high flying sight of pure theatrical, comedic bliss that's enchants at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
In this prequel of the legendary Peter Pan and based on the hit New York Times bestseller book of the same name, the boy who never wanted to grow up {played with fine finesse by Adam Chanler-Berat} is sent from a London orphanage along with two other boys to a journey on the ship Neverland. On the same ship is Molly {Celia Keenan-Bolger}, future mom of Wendy and daughter of Lord Aster, appointed to Queen Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, Lord Aster himself {Carson Elrod} is on a different ship, the Wasp. Before the two ships go sailing, there are two trunks for both, which are then switched.
Soon, The Wasp is taken over by the ruthless pirate Black Stache aka Captain Hook {Matthew Saldivar}, Smee {Kevin Del Aguila} and their band of pirates. They take over the ship for one reason: The trunk has the magical Starcatchers. But when he opens the case, Stache discovers sand in the case. He then realizes that the real trunk with the starstuff is on the other ship with Aster's daughter and the boy in it.
It then turns into a quest for magic and a chance to find your inner self.
Directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers and Designers Donyale Werle {sets}, Plaoma Young {costumes} and Jeff Croiter {lighting} has delivered the execution and style with a bright spirit of a Victoria-era London Music Hall. The directors even put in a little bit of music during the show and in between the acts which put in more for fine effort.
Jersey Boys vet and Francis Lewis High School alum Rick Elice's excitedly funny book delivers some clever lines such as "you give peanuts, you get monkeys" and "from where I come from, boys are sadly smarter". Plus, he puts in some pop culture references such as Starbucks, Phillip Glass, Cadillac Escalade and pirated DVDs.
But the biggest attention must belong to the whole cast. They both succeed as characters and their own stagecraft. They invite the audience to use their own imagination and it delivers to the two terms: "less is better" and "imagination is king". They had me laughing in tears when they moved a flying cat and wowed me big when they dressed up as mermaids in a second-act curtain raiser that will keep your grin up for what's coming ahead.
Berat and Bolger both carry their characters with the heart and mind of the child within.
As Black Stache, Saldivar {taking over for Tony winner Christian Borle, who's filming NBC's Smash} is fine in the first act, but is better in the second act when he breaks the fourth wall and for two minutes near the end, he delivers the biggest secret thing to get a laugh: slience.
This Starcatcher will make believers both out of children and adults who'll be kids again. This is great pure magic storytelling and we're all enjoying it. Both Mr. Barrie and Mr. Disney would have been proud.
Rating: ***1/2
Parent Advisory: PG for adult situations and adventure {Ages 9 and up}
Peter and the Starcatcher is playing at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway and 47th Street now through January 20th. For tickets, go to peterandthestarcatcher.com or call 877-250-2929.
That's the real charm behind the Tony-winning play Peter and the Starcatcher, a high flying sight of pure theatrical, comedic bliss that's enchants at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
In this prequel of the legendary Peter Pan and based on the hit New York Times bestseller book of the same name, the boy who never wanted to grow up {played with fine finesse by Adam Chanler-Berat} is sent from a London orphanage along with two other boys to a journey on the ship Neverland. On the same ship is Molly {Celia Keenan-Bolger}, future mom of Wendy and daughter of Lord Aster, appointed to Queen Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, Lord Aster himself {Carson Elrod} is on a different ship, the Wasp. Before the two ships go sailing, there are two trunks for both, which are then switched.
Soon, The Wasp is taken over by the ruthless pirate Black Stache aka Captain Hook {Matthew Saldivar}, Smee {Kevin Del Aguila} and their band of pirates. They take over the ship for one reason: The trunk has the magical Starcatchers. But when he opens the case, Stache discovers sand in the case. He then realizes that the real trunk with the starstuff is on the other ship with Aster's daughter and the boy in it.
It then turns into a quest for magic and a chance to find your inner self.
Directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers and Designers Donyale Werle {sets}, Plaoma Young {costumes} and Jeff Croiter {lighting} has delivered the execution and style with a bright spirit of a Victoria-era London Music Hall. The directors even put in a little bit of music during the show and in between the acts which put in more for fine effort.
Jersey Boys vet and Francis Lewis High School alum Rick Elice's excitedly funny book delivers some clever lines such as "you give peanuts, you get monkeys" and "from where I come from, boys are sadly smarter". Plus, he puts in some pop culture references such as Starbucks, Phillip Glass, Cadillac Escalade and pirated DVDs.
But the biggest attention must belong to the whole cast. They both succeed as characters and their own stagecraft. They invite the audience to use their own imagination and it delivers to the two terms: "less is better" and "imagination is king". They had me laughing in tears when they moved a flying cat and wowed me big when they dressed up as mermaids in a second-act curtain raiser that will keep your grin up for what's coming ahead.
Berat and Bolger both carry their characters with the heart and mind of the child within.
As Black Stache, Saldivar {taking over for Tony winner Christian Borle, who's filming NBC's Smash} is fine in the first act, but is better in the second act when he breaks the fourth wall and for two minutes near the end, he delivers the biggest secret thing to get a laugh: slience.
This Starcatcher will make believers both out of children and adults who'll be kids again. This is great pure magic storytelling and we're all enjoying it. Both Mr. Barrie and Mr. Disney would have been proud.
Rating: ***1/2
Parent Advisory: PG for adult situations and adventure {Ages 9 and up}
Peter and the Starcatcher is playing at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway and 47th Street now through January 20th. For tickets, go to peterandthestarcatcher.com or call 877-250-2929.
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