Review: Peter and the Starcatcher Is An Awfully Big Adventure

Since author J.M. Barrie originally published the story of Peter Pan in 1904, audiences around the world have been captivated by the story of the boy who refused to grow up, instead spending his days fighting pirates, playing with fairies, and wrecking havoc with the Lost Boys on the infamous island of Neverland.

Greg Laux (front left) and Cast of *Peter and the Starcatcher*

In the last hundred and some-odd-years, the story of Peter Pan has been adapted several times, each time enchanting a new generation with the help of a little faith, trust, and pixie dust. But most of these versions tell the story of Peter as we know him now - the cocky boy who knows how to harness all of Neverland’s hidden secrets.

Instead, Peter and the Starcatcher answers the questions we’ve all been asking. What kind of name is Peter Pan? How did he get to Neverland? What gives Neverland its infamous magic?

Set in the 1800s, Peter and the Starcatcher tells the story of Molly Aster (Gracie Bryant) and the orphaned boys she meets on the ship Neverland as they sail across the seas to save a trunk full of magical “star stuff.” As they face pirates, magical creatures, and those that want to keep this priceless treasure for themselves, director Jessica Boevers Bogart spins an adorable tale full of magic and mischief.

Eric Canfield as Ted, Sai Graham as Prentiss, Gracie Bryant as Molly Asterand Giancarlo Santiago as Boy

As with any Peter Pan story, the children are the production’s heart and soul. Bryant brings a healthy dose of “Girls Rule, Boys Droll” to the spunky Molly as she leads orphans Ted (Eric Canfield), Prentiss (Sai Graham), and Boy (later called Peter, played by Giancarlo Santiago) on an adventure across the high seas that brings them face to face with mermaids, pirates, and giant crocodiles as they desperately try to return the captured star stuff to Molly’s father Lord Aster (Reez Bailey).

Canfield, Graham, and Santiago bring all the arrogant, lovable charm we’ve come to expect from the boys of Neverland, and their courage and spunk is the perfect match for the determined Molly.

But it is Tony Award nominee David Furr who steals the show as the evil pirate Black Stache. With a flamboyant swagger and well-timed, drunken humor, Furr fills the red coat of our favorite one-handed pirate with ease.

While the play is fine when examined from a strictly script perspective (written by Rick Elice), it is the technical team that brings the production to life. Costume designer Joseph Shrope has mastered the art of bringing the “Peter Pan-ness” we all know to the stage while still keeping with the 19th century wardrobe, as Boy’s green sweater, Black Stache’s red button down coat, Smee’s red hat, and Molly’s blue dress are all delicate nods to their successors’ iconic looks.

Thanks to scenic and property designers Kevin Judge and Timothy Domack (respectively), audiences are brought into the world of make-believe. With a multi level pirate ship and an island full of lush greenery and colorful flowers, the visual elements of this production are what bring it to life.

The production also features lighting design from Riva Fairhall, sound design from Cameron Fitzpatrick, music direction from Kevin Lawson, fight choreography from Chase Whitehurst, choreography from Tim Malboeuf, and music from Wayne Barker.

Peter and the Starcatcher runs at Theatre Raleigh through Sunday, June 22, Tickets can be purchased here.

All photos courtesy of Theatre Raleigh.