Peter Pan and Wendy Fly to Neverland

From left to right, David Flores as Smee, J.T. Backes as Starkey, and Sawyer Felkey as Curly Lost One in Peter Pan and Wendy at First Stage. Photo credit: Paul Ruffolo.

A review of Peter Pan and Wendy

by Madelyn Verhyen, age 14

The best word to describe First Stage’s production of Peter Pan and Wendy is magical. In this show, Peter Pan flies Wendy and her two brothers to Neverland so the Lost Boys can have a mother. During her time in Neverland, she tells them stories and keeps them safe, especially from Captain Hook’s schemes. Not only was the show fun to watch, but it was also very humorous.

Each of the two casts are made up of kids, except Mr. and Mrs. Darling and the pirates. The night I attended, I was immersed in the world the Shadow Cast fashioned. Though every performer took part in this spectacular piece of art, four actors stood out to me. All three of the Darlings (Niamh Mayne, Everett Vogt, and Luke Drope) had flawless early-1900’s English accents. I don’t know if it was purposeful, but Everett and Luke’s performances led me to believe they were younger than they actually were. Throughout the performance, I couldn’t tell if Marko Van Slyke (Peter Pan) and Niamh (Wendy Darling) really had the same personality as their characters, since their acting was so convincing.

The rustic, finely crafted set, designed by Sarah Hunt-Frank, and the intricate costumes, designed by Jason Orlenko, only enhanced the beauty of the play. The Koken actors ensured a seamless performance, wearing black clothing from head to toe, and even masks to cover their faces. They also allowed Tinkerbell and all of the kids to fly. It was apparent there was a large amount of work put into the show.

Peter Pan and Wendy is fun for all ages, so feel free to bring the whole family to First Stage. The show dates are February 20 to March 22; buy your tickets before the crocodile snaps them up. Tick-tock.