Wendy & Peter Pan at the Barbican theatre is a spectacle that promises much but ultimately fails to deliver. Director Jonathan Munby's 2013 production has grown into a theatrical monster, with dazzling lights and video projections that dominate the stage. However, beneath the surface, the play feels like a sugary rush of energy that quickly loses its impact.
At its core, this version of JM Barrie's classic tale tells the story of Wendy's quest to find and bring back her dead brother from Neverland. But despite Ella Hickson's feminist reimagining, Wendy remains strangely tame, oscillating between self-deprecation and guilt. Her decision to form a sisterhood with Tink and Tiger Lily feels contrived and lacks real emotional resonance.
Meanwhile, Peter Pan's inner crisis is more akin to a hormonal teenager than the boy who refuses to grow up. His crush on Wendy is uncomfortable to watch, and his struggles seem at odds with the character's usual carefree nature. It's jarring to see this iconic figure grappling with adolescent angst.
The production's visuals are undoubtedly impressive, with aerial work, video projections, and a massive Jolly Roger that dominates the stage. However, these flashy set pieces can't make up for the pacing issues that plague the play. Actors often shout or screech their lines, making them feel more like adults playing at being children than actual kids.
While minor characters like Smee and Tiger Lily bring some charm to the production, they're not enough to redeem the show's overall shortcomings. The music by Shuhei Kamimura is generic and cranked up for every sword fight, adding to the sense of chaos on stage.
In its original state, this version of Peter Pan might have been radical, but now it feels like a soulless stage juggernaut – a mix of big optics Christmas and pantomime. The performances are over-the-top, with Toby Stephens channeling pure panto villainy as Captain Hook. Even the usually reliable Tink seems more like a cockney fairy than a nuanced character.
Ultimately, Wendy & Peter Pan at the Barbican theatre is a disappointing spectacle that fails to deliver on its promise. Despite its impressive visuals and some minor standout performances, the play's pacing issues, over-the-top performances, and lack of emotional resonance make it feel like a cheap sugar rush of energy that quickly loses its impact.
At its core, this version of JM Barrie's classic tale tells the story of Wendy's quest to find and bring back her dead brother from Neverland. But despite Ella Hickson's feminist reimagining, Wendy remains strangely tame, oscillating between self-deprecation and guilt. Her decision to form a sisterhood with Tink and Tiger Lily feels contrived and lacks real emotional resonance.
Meanwhile, Peter Pan's inner crisis is more akin to a hormonal teenager than the boy who refuses to grow up. His crush on Wendy is uncomfortable to watch, and his struggles seem at odds with the character's usual carefree nature. It's jarring to see this iconic figure grappling with adolescent angst.
The production's visuals are undoubtedly impressive, with aerial work, video projections, and a massive Jolly Roger that dominates the stage. However, these flashy set pieces can't make up for the pacing issues that plague the play. Actors often shout or screech their lines, making them feel more like adults playing at being children than actual kids.
While minor characters like Smee and Tiger Lily bring some charm to the production, they're not enough to redeem the show's overall shortcomings. The music by Shuhei Kamimura is generic and cranked up for every sword fight, adding to the sense of chaos on stage.
In its original state, this version of Peter Pan might have been radical, but now it feels like a soulless stage juggernaut – a mix of big optics Christmas and pantomime. The performances are over-the-top, with Toby Stephens channeling pure panto villainy as Captain Hook. Even the usually reliable Tink seems more like a cockney fairy than a nuanced character.
Ultimately, Wendy & Peter Pan at the Barbican theatre is a disappointing spectacle that fails to deliver on its promise. Despite its impressive visuals and some minor standout performances, the play's pacing issues, over-the-top performances, and lack of emotional resonance make it feel like a cheap sugar rush of energy that quickly loses its impact.
and honestly, I was so hyped for it at first! 
The set design is insane, like whoa! 
But, unfortunately, it felt like a total letdown in the end. 
The pacing is all over the place and the actors can be super loud, like they're screaming instead of speaking 
. And don't even get me started on Peter Pan's inner crisis... he feels more like a teenage boy than the iconic character we know 
. The music is just basic beats with swords and stuff 
. I mean, where was the magic? 
. The production looks stunning with all those lights and video projections, but beneath the surface, it's just not working for me. The pacing is all over the place and the actors often shout their lines instead of delivering them with finesse. It feels like a big, cheesy spectacle rather than an actual story 
.
. And don't even get me started on the music - it's like they took every sword fight song from a fantasy movie and mashed them all together 
.
. The performances are over-the-top, which can be fun in small doses, but not when you're trying to tell a story for two hours straight 
. Overall, I'd say skip it unless you're a die-hard fan of JM Barrie's work or a huge fan of big spectacle shows 
.
. The visuals are indeed stunning, but I think they're more of a distraction than a complement to the story. I mean, what's up with Peter Pan's inner crisis? He's always been this carefree kid, and suddenly he's got teenage angst issues? It feels so forced.
. She's supposed to be this strong female lead, but she just ends up feeling like a caricature of herself. The sisterhood thing with Tink and Tiger Lily is just...meh. I need some actual emotional depth in my characters, you know?
. Maybe I'm just expecting too much from it?
but like, the pacing was off and the acting was super over-the-top Toby stephens as captain hook was like, totally panto villain mode 
and wendy's character just felt so meh...like what's up with her emotions? i mean, ella hickson tried to make it a feminist take but it fell flat 
. The visuals were insane, no doubt about it 
. And don't even get me started on Peter Pan's inner crisis 
. Overall, it feels like a watered-down stage show that's trying too hard to be edgy 
. And don't even get me started on how weird it was to see Peter Pan struggling with teenage angst 
. I mean, come on, he's supposed to be carefree! The music was also super generic and cranked up for every sword fight 
. Smee and Tiger Lily were the only ones who brought some charm to the production, but even they couldn't make it shine through. Overall, I'd say this show felt like a missed opportunity - all flash, no substance 
. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to turn JM Barrie's classic tale into some kind of feminist spectacle? It just doesn't feel true to the original story. And don't even get me started on Wendy - she's supposed to be this strong and independent character, but Ella Hickson's reimagining makes her come across as whiny and indecisive 
.
. And don't even get me started on Peter Pan's angst phase – I mean, come on, he's Peter Pan, not a teenager with an identity crisis 
but emotionally empty 
. Ella Hickson's feminist reimagining of Wendy falls flat as she remains a tame and guilt-ridden character 
. Meanwhile, Peter Pan's inner crisis feels forced 
.
. Smee & Tiger Lily are the only ones who bring some charm to this mess 
. The music by Shuhei Kamimura is just a generic soundtrack for sword fights 
.
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But what really stood out to me was how much energy went into making this show all about visuals - the lights, the video projections, the whole shebang! It's like they wanted to distract us from the actual story 
- I mean, we get it, JM Barrie's character is complex, but this version just doesn't feel right 
. Toby Stephens as Captain Hook is always a highlight though 
!
- those aerial stunts and video projections were a highlight of the show for me. But beneath all that sparkle, it feels like the story is just trying to be edgy without actually being edgy 
. The visuals are insane - I mean who doesn't love a giant Jolly Roger on stage? 
But for me, the pacing issues and over-the-top performances kinda threw me out of it. Toby Stephens as Captain Hook was just too much 
. Maybe they just didn't do it justice?