West Australian Ballet: Peter Pan -
His Majesty’s Theatre Perth, 22 November -
There was an excited buzz around the crowded auditorium before the curtain went up on the opening night of West Australian Ballet’s Peter Pan. Many in the audience were accompanied by a child or two, and others were happy to tap into their own inner child. Most were already very familiar with J. M. Barrie’s story and characters and were eager to see their favourites brought to life; some were about to see a ballet for the very first time. So no pressure there! Thankfully, the dancers of West Australian Ballet pulled out all stops and gave them an experience to remember.
This version of Peter Pan has an all New Zealand creative team. It is a Royal New Zealand Ballet production choreographed by Russell Kerr, first performed in New Zealand in 1999 and is the final production programmed by former director Ivan Cavallari for WAB. It was staged by Toby Behan, (a Peter Pan from the New Zealand production), and WAB Ballet Master Craig Lord-Sole. The music by Philip Norman, played marvellously all night by the WA Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Kenneth Young, includes musical motifs for characters and plenty of effective sound effects such as ‘whooshing’ for flying in and out of windows, a 'squawking' Neverland bird, the 'tick-tocking' crocodile, and pan pipes for Peter, and each of the different locations in the story has its own musical genre.
Enchanting sets and costumes by the late Kristian Fredrikson were inspired by designs from Edwardian children's books, and included the Darling children’s tasteful nursery with large casement windows, a luscious green Neverland island, a pirate ship, a Home Under The Ground, a Mermaid Lagoon, a Marooner’s Rock, and breathtaking scenes as realistic life-size figures flew about in a starry, black sky and over filmed mountain tops with lots of dry ice for embellishment and atmospheric lighting by Jon Buswell. Flying entrances and exits through the window were brilliantly devised and executed, as was the smiling, giant crocodile who peered out of the wings.
A few lulls and flat spots in the work were offset by the quality of the performers. Andre Santos as Peter Pan had one of those magic nights when everything worked and he was literally and figuratively flying, his formidable technique matched by his totally believable interpretation of a self-centred young boy, full of bravado, who watched pathetically through the window of the Darling house after the children returned home. Anna Ishii as naughty, jealous Tinkerbell was impossible not to love and she danced like a dream.
Other standouts were foppish, hilarious and far from scary Captain Hook, with a magnificent hook, (Matthew Lehmann in another first-rate performance), Smee, (an entertaining Benjamin Kirkman), Peter dancing with his Shadow, (an impressive Alessio Scognamiglio), the Darling children, (Sarah Sutcliffe, Robert Mills and Daniel Roberts), nailing their characters, and Warmth, Light, Cold and Dark, (Fiona Evans, Meg Parry, Melissa Boniface and Brooke Widdison-Jacobs respectively), dancing beautifully.
Yusuke Hikichi impressed in his dual roles as an effete Sun King (in full Louis X1V regalia) and fussy Mr Darling, and Jayne Smeulders was very funny as a squawking Neverbird, and doubled as Mrs Darling. Polly Hilton was brave and poised as Tiger Lily and there were lovely human and mermaid ladies, Lost Boys in bear skins, and rollicking Pirates galore. Disappointments included no canine ‘Nana', choreographed vamping, fishnets, and Wolves in loincloths, which failed the 'taste' test.
But all good things must come to an end and Captain Hook met his with great humour. And the dancers deservedly got lots of cheers and streamers for their brilliant work.
- Margaret Mercer
Footnote: WAB's 1981 production of Peter Pan, choreographed by Garth Welch when he was director, and the first EVER production of Peter Pan as a ballet, with an original score by Verdon Williams, and designs by Steve Nolan, should have been acknowledged in the printed programme.
Peter Pan plays until 15 Dec. More info: www.waballet.com.au