Finding Neverland is out of this world, and inside each of us. When the world around you seems normal, ordinary or even boring, adventure is waiting. You can find it in the circus of your mind.
Finding Neverland tells the story not of Peter Pan but rather of J.M. Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan. Already a successful playwright, Barrie was under the gun to write a new show. He met a mother and four children in the park at Kensington Gardens who challenged him to see the world differently, to believe in possibility. Through playing with the children, Barrie rediscovered his inner child, and his imagination flourished. In the midst of romping children, peals of laughter, and roaring good fun, Peter Pan was born.
Moving Peter Pan from the pages of Barrie’s notebook to the London stage was not a simple task. The play was simply unlike anything either the theater owner or the theater troupe had ever experienced before. Skeptical of the show’s silliness, the actors were uncomfortable in their parts. In the delightful number, "Play," Barrie along with the mother of the children from the park reminds the actors of the joys of playing pretend. The fun proves to be contagious, and everyone is thrilled to feel young at heart again.
The show is jam packed with spectacular performances and is a veritable feast for the eyes. The staging is simply spectacular. The audience is trusted to use their imaginations as well. There is no need for an entire ship to come on stage for Captain Hook and his dancing pirates. Rope nets that the dancers climb and swing upon is enough to tell us that a ship is there. No need for rigging and fly system, the arms and hands of the ensemble are capable enough to fly Peter Pan and Wendy about the room, especially if you use your imagination. The show combines old-school techniques and modern innovation to get the freshest result.
Music is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of Peter Pan. This show may very well change that perception. The music and lyrics by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy are powerful, touching, and filled with cleverness and humor. "We’re All Made of Stars" sung by the four children is perhaps the heart of the show. The kids remind us “you can be anything you wanna be.” We may not all be the same or taking the same path in life, but “we are all made of stars, we are all made of dreams.”
For Peter Pan aficionados, the show provides some insights into the story. You will learn the origins of Peter and Wendy giving each other a thimble and an acorn. You will see how Tinkerbell was first created by using a spoon to reflect a spot of light on the wall and make it dance. Even Captain Hook becomes lovable as you see how vital a villain is to make the hero become who he should be.
When reading the credits of the show, it’s amazing to see how many different perspectives were melded together. The show feels as if it sprung complete from one person’s head. Perhaps the biggest contribution to this feeling is the marriage of music and movement. The subtleties of the songs are brought to life in the mannerisms of the characters and the choreography by Mia Michaels. It was almost as if you could see the music. The flair of little details added great humor such as the maids and servants who bent almost completely backwards when entering and leaving which had my daughter laughing out loud. The intricacies of using the ensemble to spin multiple doors in a circle for Barrie to open and shut as he sang about living on a merry-go-round were breathtaking.
Finding Neverland is as true a family show as anything you will find. While some scenes are incredibly sad, they are told with such poignancy as to make them beautiful. Hook, our beloved villain, is inspiring rather than scary. The kids in the show really make you believe in possibility as you watch those incredibly young kids so bravely sharing their talent with the world. And best of all, the show doesn’t forget that you are there. Kids love to be a part of things, even shows they are watching. In one scene, Frohman acts as if the real audience is the pretend audience watching opening night of Peter Pan. He acknowledges the children in the theater and asks them to wave. Even better, everyone’s help is needed to show our belief in fairies and clap her to life. Oh, and there’s even a real dog. Audiences are always ga-ga for real animals, and this one earns its applause and every laugh.
On our walk back to the car, my daughter noted how this show that has so much to do with imagination is really a true story, about a real writer, and his life. Perhaps the real lesson is to live life so fully and true to yourself that your life is a story worth telling. Charles Frohman, the theater owner, reminds us that Peter Pan is a show for both the young and the young at heart. Finding Neverland couldn’t be more true to that sentiment. Even if you don’t enter feeling young at heart, you can’t help but leave feeling more hopeful, inspired, and full of imagination and possibility.
IF YOU GO:
Where: Paramount Theater, 911 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101
When: Tuesday, Jan. 10 –Thursday, January 12 @ 7:30 pm, Friday, January 13 @ 8 pm, Saturday, January 14 @ 2 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday, January 15 @ 1 pm and 6:30 pm.
Cost: Tickets start at $30 and vary according to show time and seat location.
