“I don’t ever want to grow up,” replies Peter Pan to Wendy who has asked him why he doesn’t leave Neverland and live like a regular human being. With his company of lost boys who share a similar sentiment, Peter Pan lives a charmed life, albeit at times an adventurous one as he does battle with the redoubtable Captain Hook and his pirates who make incursions into Neverland. The pirates are always defeated because that’s way with fairy tales. The villains are invariably vanquished and the heroes live happily ever after.
Flying Peter Pan
From London to Broadway to Hollywood
In 1902 Sir James M. Barrie wrote a short story for children, “The Little White Bird,” which he later adapted into a play that was first produced in London in 1904. The play depicts the adventures of Peter Pan and the three children surnamed Darling--Wendy, Michael and John--whom he teaches to fly and lures to Neverland.
An international cast playing the roles of the pirates
After several escapades among fairies, mermaids, other-worldly beings and pirates, the Darling children return home to their parents, bringing with them the lost boys who have made up their mind that growing up is not so bad after all. Peter Pan, however, chooses to remain behind because he wants to be a boy forever.
Through the years book companies in the West acquired permission to adapt the play into a storybook for children. In 1951 Peter Pan became a musical when Leonard Bernstein wrote music and lyrics for a New York Production starring Jean Arthur as Peter and Boris Karloof as Captain Hook. In 1954 Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard starred in a musical version that was a hit on Broadway and afterwards became a television classic.
Captain Hook
The fame of Peter Pan became universally established when Walt Disney Studios released the animated version of the fairy tale in 1953. It captured the imagination of children and adults alike as colorful and larger-than-life images of the characters floated onscreen, with marvelous background music and tinkling voices.
The Disney production with its awesome illustrations was soon rendered into storybook form, and even children and adults who were not able to see the Hollywood-produced movie were immediately captivated by the visual opus.
It is interesting to note that the role of Peter Pan onstage was traditionally played by a woman. Perhaps it was then believed that such an exacting role could not be successfully essayed by a child actor. Nina Boucicault was the very first Peter Pan. Other actresses famous in their time who took on the role onstage were Hayley Mills and Maggie Smith in London and Sandy Duncan in New York. Today, there are enough trained child actors capable of bringing Peter Pan to life.
What’s On & Expat Another Musical Version of Peter Pan
London’s ABA Productions brings to Manila a newer musical version of Peter Pan this month. Matthew Gregory is director and Ben Munroe is scriptwriter. Original songs have been composed by Amuer Calderon. The fairy songs are taken from the works of Karl Jenkins.
What’s On & Expat learned from Munroe that ABA stands for “Awfully Big Adventure.” “There’s plenty of fast-paced action, opulent costumes, extravagant sets, and of course, flying,” the British scriptwriter said. Alternating as Peter Pan are Michael Lin, Chinese-British and 15 years young and Ryutyaro Yanigita, 13 and British-educated. Other members of the cast interviewed by What’s On & Expat were Brits Jemma Webster who plays Wendy and whose first big stage role was Cinderella, and Erin Brodie who plays the Fairy Queen, a character not in the original Barrie play.
Eric Ibarra deserves special mention. He is a Filipino American who plays the role of Slightly, one of the lost boys. He has done this role worldwide. His father is a businessman who has to travel around the world. Thus, he was born in Germany, grew up in the United States, lived in Hong Kong, and next year will stay in Makati as his father attends to business here. “I have been to the Philippines so many times, visiting relatives during the holidays,” he said. The University of Santo Tomas provides live background music to this spectacular musical that is currently showing at the main theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines until February 4. For playdates and ticket prices, call (02) 891-9999.
|
