by Dustin Jussila
Normally you don’t call a play a ‘train-wreck’ if you are trying to praise it. The only exception to this rule might be Peter Pan Goes Wrong.
If you are unfamiliar with the play, Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a fictional production of J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan which, despite the best efforts of the cast and crew, almost everything goes wrong. The acting is poor, the stage set faults, even behind the scenes drama with the talent ruining the show. If you happen to be a perfectionist, this might be a frustrating show for you. However, if you are a fan of meta, self-aware cringe comedy – this production is exactly what you are looking for.
Playing at The Citadel Theatre until March 20th, this world-renowned play brings the comedic mayhem. You may have little pause to breath as it almost never lets the audience take a second to fully absorb the chaos. The laughter might get a little muted as the play progresses, not because it is less enjoyable, but possibly because the audience is getting accustomed to its disorder. While most of the play keeps you guessing on what ‘crazy disaster’ will happen next, there are on occasion some overplayed scenes which drag on just a little in the first half. Luckily there is just enough variety in the plot (if you can be so bold as to say it has one) to keep things interesting.
It takes a lot of talent to make a play successfully look like it’s failing, and even greater still to act like an actor who is surprised that it is. The face and body language of the performers show even the smallest hints of nervousness and frustration; what an amazing talent these performers have in acting how an actor might react!
All these actors are standouts, but most notably are actors Alexandra Brynn and Andrew MacDonald-Smith who, playing the actors portraying Wendy Darling and Captain Hook/George Darling, stole their scenes. The latter, Captain Hook, interacted with the audience which added a further element of anarchy to the production. Alexandra Brynn’s voice cut through the rest with great humor and delivery, she kept things fresh and fun as the chaos ensued over two hours.
The stage design must be given high praise. Everything that is on the stage is maliciously designed where you could never guess where or what will go wrong, but it will and absolutely does. The amount of skill involved to design and execute such disasters are impressive by themselves.
If you feel like your life has been too orderly lately, consider seeing Peter Pan Goes Wrong and watch the disaster unfold. There isn’t much to say about a plot, as the slapstick comedy in the vein of Charlie Chaplin takes front and center, though there are some minor heartwarming moments between two of the characters that will pull on your heartstrings just a little. A great play, where you will share many laughs with strangers, take the night off, and watch some of the finest theatre comedy this city has offered in recent years.
Banner image courtesy of The Citadel Theatre, Edmonton.
