Whether you've read the book, seen one of the various film incarnations or shaken his hand at Disney World, the story of Peter Pan is synonymous with the childhood of most young people across the country.
Peter is the creation of J.M. Barrie, who first mentioned the character in his 1902 novel, The LIttle White Bird. Barrie subsequently put him at the centre of a stage play entitled Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, which premiered on 27 December 1904 at the Duke of York's Theatre in London.
The character, and the story, are forever encapsulated in the psyche of a nation who have taken him to their hearts. The subject of a number of statues and memorials, Barrie gifted the rights to Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in 1929; a decision which still provides a major source of income for the hospital in what seems like a perfect way to come full circle.
The story focuses on Peter and his relationship with Wendy Darling and her two brothers, John and Michael. Appearing in their room one evening, he convinces them to come to Never Land with him to take care of the Lost Boys. Alongside Peter's fairy friend, Tinkerbell, they fly there, only to be confronted by Peter's nemesis, Captain Hook. Hook and his pirates take Wendy and the children hostage and, whilst trying to save them, Peter has to fight off the pirates and save the day.
The story is a classic fairytale telling of good triumphing over evil, however with some slight differences to the screen versions you might have seen. One noticeable alteration is the lack of Tinkerbell who is instead characterised by a light flying around the stage. If I'm honest, I'm at odds with how I feel about that; whilst I appreciate that the character may well have been given more prominence in big-screen versions as a way to give roles to big-name stars, there is a certain benefit to including the biggest name in fairies in your production.
However, with that said, the cast on stage this evening excelled and showed how good local theatre can be. Lydia Hackett was an inspired choice to play Mrs Darling and whilst the role is smaller in comparison to others, Hackett proved herself to be a strong actress and an even stronger vocalist.
Issy Checketts made her mark as Tiger Lily - another part which maybe doesn't get the prominence it does in some re-tellings of the story. However, Issy gave it her all and really pulled off a strong characterisation.
Performance of the night for me, however, was Maddie Evans' interpretation of Wendy which, from the start, seemed to be just perfect. The look was there as was the talent, but her interpretation of the motherly, wise-beyond-her-years girl that tries to steal Peter's heart really rang true with Barrie's original narrative. It's fair to say that Evans will be a performer to reckon with in years to come.
Peter Pan plays at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre until Saturday 12th November. For more information, or to get your tickets, head online to grandtheatre.co.uk.
