Review: 'Peter Pan' Soars in a Lighter, Zippier Version of the Classic Play

Pared in some places, restored in others, and infused with visual drive and an up-tempo pace, this reinvigorated take on "Peter Pan" will leave you feeling youthful.

The production comes to the Citizens Opera House as part of the Lexus Broadway in Boston series. As the liner notes to the show's program say, playwright Larissa FastHorse overhauled the original play in order to remove problematic depictions of native peoples – a significant population on Peter Pan's island of Neverland – and, while she was at it, she trimmed about a third of the original's running time. The result loses nothing but drag. This thoroughly modern production zips and zooms thanks to energetic choreography (by Lorin Latarro), songs that keep the momentum high (Carolyn Leigh is credited with lyrics, with additional lyrics credited to Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Amanda Green; Morris "Moose" Charlap is credited for the music, "additional music" by Jule Styne), and a dynamic visual design. The design makes use of an imaginative set (Ana Louizos does the scenic design) and a high-definition video screen with projections (by David Bengali) that merge seamlessly with the actors' well-rehearsed blocking to offer the illusion of a willful shadow doing its own thing, a fantastical jungle growing up out of nothingness, and – most exhilarating – actors seemingly soaring up into the sky and then barreling through London's airspace (kudos to Paul Rubin for the the show's lighter-than-air gymnastics).

There may be modern touches (an iPad, talk of making money as an internet influencer), but this production still owes enough to Jerome Robbins' original take that Robbins gets a credit in the program. More to the point, the story (drawn from J.M. Barrie's novel) is essentially the same as ever: Wendy (Hawa Kamara), the oldest of the Darling children, accepts an invitation from Peter Pan (Nolan Almeida), a magical boy determined never to mature into a man, to travel to a distant place where youth lasts forever, all-but-extinct cultures persevere, and fairies are commonplace. (Paul Kieve is credited for the design of Tinkerbell, the sprightly, sometimes cranky fairy who is occasionally depicted with some smooth sleight-of-hand as a darting light.) Wendy brings her younger brothers Michael (Camden Kwok) and John (Levi Chrisopulos) along for the ride.

But the island has dangers, too: Peter Pan may be the leader of the Lost Boys (Jonah Barricklo, Ryan Behan, Eduardo Campirano III, Leo Gallegos, Brandon Gille, and Owen Suarez), a band of lads who, like him, are determined to remain juvenile, but he's got an equal and opposite number in Tiger Lily (Bailey Frankenberg), the leader of the island's indigenous people, who resent Peter's arrogant crowing (and, not incidentally, his sexism).

What's more, the island is periodically raided by a band of pirates (emphasis on band; Shefali Deshpande, Calista Jones, Ryan Perry Marks, Ernsesto Olivas, Hannah Schmidt, Aaron Stewart, Zanie Love Shaia, and James Douglas Vinson) who are led by the villainous Captain Hook (Cody Garcia), a brigand who takes pure pleasure in being "the swiniest of swine" and the baddest of the bad. In terms of sheer elan, Garcia's Captain Hook is a worthy adversary. With his swaggering Scottish accent and his bold red couture, he could give "The Traitors" host Alan Cumming a run for his money (Sarafina Bush does marvels with the show's costuming). His fixation on Peter Pan is centered around revenge. Pan, whose sword skills are as nimble as his talents for dancing and flight, is the reason Hook sports a metal implement instead of a hand. He's Ahab with a more lethal prosthetic, in other words, and Peter is his white whale.

The story is classic good vs. evil, but its timeless appeal is rooted in its fundamental innocence; the villainy never gets much beyond a poisoned cake and a plot to make the island's young folks walk the plank. As my plus-one put it, this is a story in which everyone is essentially throwing themselves into make believe, and he has a point: The action is pretty much what a dozen or so kids in a backyard might dream up on a summer afternoon.

But there are more complex, adult undertones in the play, too, most notably Peter's essential reluctance to accept the responsibilities, or even the reality, of adulthood. He yearns for a mother – hence the invitation to Wendy – and he only performatively agrees to the role of father for the lost boys, in addition to being their captain. When it comes to anything too domestic, though, he backpedals in a panic, seeking reassurance from Wendy that their parenting roles are only pretend, and passing a thimble back and forth with her in perfectly chaste lieu of a kiss (or even a hug, which Peter avoids at all costs from boys and girls alike).

The play is a celebration of childhood innocence, but also a purse-lipped comment on what happens when men refuse to grow up, spending decade after decade in a state of puerile arrested development. As such, it's a little bittersweet. Much more than that, though, the play is lively and fun, and this production, directed by Lonny Price, will captivate whatever 10-year-old you want to take with you – a son or daughter; a nephew or niece; or even the child that still lives under your own skin.

"Peter Pan" continues at the Citizens' Opera House through February 2. For tickets and more information, follow this link.