From left, Kruz Maldonado as Peter Pan, Owen Suarez as John, Levi Chrisopulos as Michael, Cheyenne Omani as Wendy, in the stage production of Peter Pan.Evan Zimmerman/Supplied
Title: Peter Pan
Written by: Carolyn Leigh, Morris (Moose) Charlap, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Amanda Green, Jule Styne and Larissa FastHorse
Performed by: Kruz Maldonado, Aubrie-Mei Rubel, Bailey Frankenberg, Shefali Deshpande, Kurt Perry, Zaynn Arora, Owen Suarez, Cody Garcia
Director: Lonny Price
Company: Mirvish Productions
Venue: CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre
City: Toronto
Year: Until June 1, 2025
If you’re thinking of catching the non-equity tour of Peter Pan now playing at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre – without a child under the age of 10 by your side – I implore you, with a dash of pixie dust: Don’t.
That said, if you have a fairy-sized companion with you, they’ll probably love it. And, in all fairness, the show boasts surprisingly high production values: Anna Louizos’s scenic design ably captures the magic of Neverland, and David Bengali’s projection design, blasted across the back wall of the theatre, will make even the most cynical audience members feel like they’re flying.
But Larissa FastHorse’s updated script – and Lonny Price‘s strident direction of it – makes for a pretty tiring theatrical experience, particularly for fans of Sir J.M. Barrie’s original stories (or their Disney adaptations, or the original 1954 musical).
For the most part, the beats of the story are the same as they’ve always been: Wendy, John and Michael Darling (Aubrie-Mei Rubel, Owen Suarez and Zaynn Arora) are children dreaming of big lives. When their parents (Shefali Deshpande and Cody Garcia) leave the house for a late-night work event, Peter Pan (Kruz Maldonado) flies through the window and brings the Darlings with him to Neverland, where he promises they’ll never grow up – as long as they avoid his foes, Tiger Lily (Bailey Frankenberg) and Captain Hook (Garcia).
Some of FastHorse’s changes to the story are refreshing and sharp: Tiger Lily and her tribe are no longer harmful caricatures of Indigenous peoples, for one. And Wendy‘s aspirations stretch beyond the nebulous idea of getting older – she wants to be a doctor, and chirps happily about sutures and medication as she explores Neverland with Peter.
But by and large, the script – executed with only occasional success by Price‘s cast – keeps the production from fully taking off. FastHorse, who Toronto audiences might remember from The Thanksgiving Play, has intermittently updated the story to the 21st century (complete with a TikTok-watching babysitter), a choice that jams against Carolyn Leigh and Morris (Moose) Charlap‘s timeless, charming lyrics and score. Tender Shepherd, Mrs. Darling‘s classic lullaby, feels a touch out of place in a bedroom that’s likely seen its fair share of Fortnight matches.
Kruz Maldonado as Peter Pan and Cody Garcia as Captain Hook in the stage production of Peter Pan.Evan Zimmerman/Supplied
Captain Hook, played by Garcia with a Scottish accent that almost frighteningly approximates Alan Cumming’s, is neither scary nor particularly funny – ideally, you’d hope Hook would be one of the two. And spare a thought for Zanie Love Shaia, the actor tasked with army-crawling across the stage on a small scooter, decked out in alligator scales, a clock ticking fiercely in her belly.
And, if you can believe it: In this version of Peter Pan, there is no Nana the dog. There’s barely even a Tinker Bell – she’s a tiny LED light who flashes from place to place and who blinks like a failing smoke detector when her powers begin to fade in the second act.
On the acting side, Arora and Suarez – the kiddos playing Michael and John – knock it out of the park, cute as a button and perfectly in tune. Kurt Perry’s Smee isn’t half-bad, either, and Rubel’s Wendy is as fine as can be under the constraints of FastHorse’s script.
Maldonado’s Peter sounds great when he’s singing – but there’s a Timmy Turner-esque whine to his speaking voice that makes Peter Pan sound a bit like a Saturday morning animated series.
But that’s the thing – what young kid doesn’t love a cartoon? There’s plenty for the adults to grouse about in Peter Pan, but on opening night, the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre hosted a small army of children, most of whom seemed enchanted by the performance – I feel I ought to send a shout-out to the two elementary-aged girls sitting in front of me, who giggled at every groan-worthy joke and sat in awe of Peter and his pals as they flew.
And speaking of flying: Paul Rubin’s mid-air choreography is, to put it bluntly, awesome. Peter and the Darlings fly so seamlessly that the show occasionally threatens to turn into Peter Pan: Turn Off the Dark. Louizo‘s clever set designs mask the wires suspending the actors so that they really do look like they’re barrelling through mid-air. Kudos, too, to Maldonado and his many, many backflips.
Would I sit through Peter Pan again? I’d sooner walk Captain Hook’s plank. But if you’re feeling particularly charitable to a school-aged relative who loves live theatre, they’ll probably enjoy it. Godspeed.
