‘Peter Pan’ mini review
For more than a century, J.M. Barrie’s story of “Peter Pan,” the boy who never grows up, has stood with classics such as “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “The Wizard of Oz” in the pantheon of English-language children’s fantasies that pass the test of time. “Peter Pan” has been thrilling audiences since 1904, and with its revival of the 1954 Broadway musical, Palo Alto Players maintains the old-fashioned, pantomime vibe, which works wonderfully, even as the production puts its own spin on things, such as giving Neverland a retro-futuristic steampunk look, and transforming the offensive “Indian” stereotypes into vaguely punk-rock “warriors” (it’s still a bit cringeworthy, but the effort is appreciated).
The soundtrack includes memorable numbers such as “I’ve Gotta Crow,” “I’m Flying” and “I Won’t Grow Up” as well as the famous audience-participation “Do you believe in fairies?” sequence. And you’re never too old to ooh and aah when characters suddenly take flight.
The affection Palo Alto Players has for the material shines through, with an impressively Pan-experienced cast and crew. I attended with my 4-year-old theater-reviewer-in-training and she gave it a rave review (Captain Hook was a favorite), as, judging by the enthusiastic cheers and applause surrounding me, did the many other children in the crowd. I was also honestly surprised by the emotional resonance I felt seeing it as an adult.
Charming and nostalgic, “Peter Pan” is a great choice for families seeking some good old-fashioned entertainment this season.
It runs at Lucie Stern Theater in Palo Alto through Nov. 19. Go to paplayers.org.
‘Singin’ in the Rain’ mini review
Just in time for a much-needed rainy season on the Peninsula, Broadway by the Bay is concluding its 2017 program with a revival of the beloved musical “Singin’ in the Rain.”
This is the stage adaptation of the classic film starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, which some consider the greatest movie musical ever made. “Singin’ in the Rain” offers a light-hearted satirical look at a key time in the motion-picture industry: the shift from silent films to “talkies.”
In 1927, Don Lockwood (the Gene Kelly character, played here by Ryan Blanning), is a debonair screen star with vaudeville song-and-dance-man roots. His on-screen partner and paramour is the glamorous Lina Lamont (Jen Brooks), a vain and conniving vamp whom he loathes in real life. The two are the toast of Hollywood, but when their studio decides it needs to keep up with the competition by delving into “talking pictures,” the pair have a problem. Lina, it turns out, bears a most unpleasant voice and manner, can’t sing or dance, and is seemingly incapable of elocution improvement, making her unsuitable for the new world of talkies. Enter Kathy Selden (Amanda Farbstein), the ingenue with a golden voice who harbors Broadway dreams, and Lockwood’s new crush.
Don and his best pal and former dance partner Cosmo (Randy O’Hara), who works in the studio’s music department, hatch a scheme to save their latest film from disaster. If Kathy can overdub Lina’s lines and songs, they might just get away with transforming “The Dueling Cavalier” into a musical comedy, “The Dancing Cavalier,” and save their careers.
Though it it was originally made as a self-referential movie celebrating and poking fun at its own Hollywood world, “Singin’ in the Rain” lends itself quite well to the stage. Broadway by the Bay’s home base, the beautiful Fox Theatre in downtown Redwood City is actually the perfect spot for it, as it was originally built in 1929 as a motion-picture house and still retains much of the look of a grand 1920s movie palace.
“Singin’ in the Rain” runs through Nov. 19. Go to broadwaybythebay.org.
—Karla Kane
