"Peter Pan" debuts in America at ferry park in SF with state of the art theater in the round

Peter Pan/flight to Neverland/Photo: Simon Annand

Peter Pan, the state of the art theater in the round from London, puts a new twist on the Scottsman J.M. Barrie’s classic and makes for a novel spring or summer experience on the San Francisco waterfront. This 360 degree panoramic Peter Pan offers more twists than the spinning mermaids hanging from aerial silks for the underwater scene. That alone put them on a caliber with Cirque du Soleil or Teatro ZinZanni but for children. Slideshow below plus click here for more: Peter Pan from London opens in SF. Flight to Neverland (above): Simon Annand.

A unique venue blending San Francisco’s ferry park and London’s Kensington Park

This is wholesome family entertainment in an hospitable, open, airy, lovely and novel picnic setting with a café and boutique in one tent, the 360 panoramic show in the threesixty theater tent, and private soirees and English picnics under the cabana tents. Bangers and mash will cost you $12.00 or you can purchase picnics with tea, tea sandwiches, scones and sweets. Traditional picnic tables stand on the open grassy hill of ferry park. You have a picturesque view of the ferry building and the Bay Bridge beyond, making this a world class setting on the waterfront. Don't pay that police siren along the Embarcadero no never mind.

Peter Pan: Why are you crying?

However. I don't know if I would spend a lot of money on it without it being to treat a child to something special. Nevertheless while it may seem highly commercial to some with all the special effects, the production sports authentic British actors with real British accents, the classic British story being produced and acted by real Brits. I attended with photographer Pam Roney of Castro Valley and her daughter Tayler. Tayler is twelve, a captain on her soccer team and a straight A student besides being a local model and actor. They each loved the show. Tayler even bought a t-shirt and the five dollar box of pick-your-own candy with her own money. Here's Tayler:

Tayler Roney and her aunt/Photo: Pam Sadler Roney

During a scene where Peter calls upon the audience to chant in a whisper, Pam said she wanted to cheer with encouragement instead. Might be an American response?

Moreover. Cudos to the Mom who dutifully carried her crying infant out of the tent immediately. A few others followed especially after the cannon fire. So this may not be appropriate for babies. However it proved to be a lovely Mother’s Day with each woman being handed a lovely long stem rose upon entry. Beautiful floral centerpieces with real roses in peach and cream hues adorned the garden tables as did complimentary mimosas or sparkling waters.

Further caveat, there is some violence done to the ever-present teddy bear during a sword fight as the Lost Boys battle the pirates.

Tiger Lily danced by Pleasant Hill's Heidi Buehler

There are a few Americans on the stage, notably bold Indian maiden Tiger Lily, who attempts to stab Captain Hook in his hammock. She’s lithe and agile in her dance particularly where she's heavily flirting with Peter Pan after he saves her life. The 24 year old from Pleasant Hill looks sexy but she studied ballet, danced with Contra Costa Ballet and graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in dance. She with her performance provides a moment of adult humor. Peter, having not grown up, gives her a polite verbal thank you, period, like a handshake. Indeed, thank you very much.

Peter Pan/Heidi Buehler as Tiger Lily/Photo:

Heidi/Tiger Lily's parents chatted with me as I enjoyed a mimosa or two at my high café table before the 5:00 show on Sunday. They told me Heidi Buehler actually has long blond hair but wore a dark wig and a spray tan for her call back. Twenty five auditioned and ten returned, Heidi among them. She had attended the open call although she has not acted before. The production hired a dialect coach to teach Heidi to speak her one line as an Indian, as somebody who does not speak English as her native language.

Combat tutu and no fish tails by William Dudley

Plus. Peter Pan includes aerial artists on silks like Teatro ZinZanni or Cirque du Soleil or Cirque de la Symphonie. Here the gymnasts played the mermaids but had no fish tails. William Dudley’s costume design included wonderful striped pajamas for the boys and tattered finery for the pirates. While he has designed for opera including the Bayreuth, the Met, Paris, Covent Garden and Glyndebourne, his real coupe is probably the combat worn tutu with hiking boots and tank top worn by the new Tink, with her rats nest hair tacked up by one crooked hairclip. No bows on this girl and she wore that tutu with a drag queen flair. Itxaso Moreno, remember that name or she’ll tattoo it on your forehead.

Talk to the hook

Another treat would be the actor who played Captain Hook. Jonathan Hyde played not only the father Mr. Darling but the Captain. He comes from Titanic where he played the ship’s designer. He was also in Jumanji. He has many wonderful scenes in Peter Pan but was especially funny when he commented on how only the crocodile finds him attractive; and also in the Matrix-like slow motion sword fight with a deft move by Peter. The actors really seemed to be having fun which in turn makes them a joy to watch.

Adaptation by Tanya Ronder

At one point the adapter Tanya Ronder got in a funny line for Hook that took me by surprise. As a writer I appreciated this: Split my infinitives, declared Hook.

It’s all about me

There’s also generous amounts of time spent airborne by many of the characters from the Lost Boys to Wendy and the new Tink, a fairy with an attitude. You can buy Tink’s bad girl t-shirt, which reads “It’s all about Me”. This tough girl really could hold her own and carry her own show as she almost stole it. There were many strong characters though in the mix.

Engaging

The characters were engaging in their direct interaction with the audience, from the crocodile to the pirates who emerge from all around the perimeter of the theater and glare into your eyes as if to stare down anybody in defiance.

The projected pirate ship also ensconced the audience on it's deck. Similarly a pirate's cave held the audience just as it did the cast and the audience is taken underwater where the mermaids and children swam. The projections themselves are animated. The projected Caribbean sea features rippling water. Palm trees sway and the pirate flag flutters in the breeze.

Sounds like a pirate cutting a throat or something soothing like the surf were effective. I almost felt my own temperature drop with the cool subsurface sequence of dolphins swimming. Bubbles floated.

Wendy becomes a Mum for real

There is a touching moment of reality after Wendy has grown up and had a daughter of her own. Peter finally returns for her and although she waited for this moment, she has to explain how things have changed . . . how one of her brothers, a former Lost Boy, has grown up and become a man; He is no longer there and she mentions the war. One of the real children on which the story is based did indeed die in the war although several of them died prematurely.

Special event Saturday May 15 through Sunday May 23

Face painting, arts and crafts, meeting the cast, photos and story telling will be at Macy's. For more information go to www.Macys.com/events.

Tickets for Peter Pan cost $30 to $85 with a twenty dollar discount for children on select days.

For more information: www.peterpantheshow.com

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For more articles by this writer, check out the San Francisco opera column: http://www.examiner.com/x-2366-SF-Opera-Examiner

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