I have mixed feelings about the NBC Live Musicals. (Please take note, I have not seen its Sound of Music).
On one hand, they are getting musicals back into mainstream culture, sparkling an interest in musicals into the اگلے generation, and giving families something fun to watch on ویژن ٹیلی together.
But on the other hand, from what I have heard about from the Sound of موسیقی live…They can be pretty overblown copies that add “cool” millennial crap.
Peter Pan Live, though I was extremely skeptical at first about it, is surprisingly better than I thought. It has its problems, oh yes it does, but there is charm and entertainment, as well as actual effort.
There is a pretty decent cast with all of the right acting, singing, and dancing chops. Allison Williams presents Peter rather than becomes him. I never believed she was Pan, but she had the right look and movements, and her singing voice is surprisingly beautiful and the one moment I believed her was Tinkbell’s almost death. Wendy was also quite “stagey” believable rather than screen believable. If this had been done onstage, it would be considered a better performance, but this is on a screen instead. Depite this, her overdone dreaminess was oddly suitable and good night, her singing, as warbly as it can be, is beautiful. Tiger Lily, though a small character, is also very talented with her dancing and acting (and played سے طرف کی an actual Native American, with people of color playing her Indian tribe, and a Native American cultural expert among the crew to boot!). Celia Keenan-Bolger was a beautiful Mrs. Darling and had one of the most beautiful singing voices I have heard in a long, long time. Christian Borle made a pretty good Mr.Darling/Smee as well (what Peter Pan has Smee so young and muscular?!)
The ensemble cast is very charming. Though it is very noticeable that half of the lost boys are Newsies in both their choreography and delivery, it somewhat fits. Yes, آپ can see that they are far past the age of little boyhood, but just something about them is funny and sweet. They act very much like little boys, and آپ can leave it up to your own interpretation what it says about young adult men singing about not wanting to grow up and wanting a mother while stroking phallic looking trees.
The dancing is incredible. Since Neverland is a paradise of youth, the choreography grabs this chance and uses all sorts of athletic and acrobatic kicks and flips celebrating that youth and energy. The pirates are hilarious. Every time I see them on screen (onstage?) they crack me up.
Alright, time to be honest, I was not a huge پرستار of Cristopher Walken as Captain Hook. Looking at this performance, not keeping Walken’s persona in Hollywood as the awkward, funny alien man in mind, he was not into it. I guess part of the humor is that he is not into it, but doesn’t really care what آپ think of him. But, Captain Hook should be a really over-the-top, comic villain. There was so much he could do with it, and although his dancing was right on the money, his weird deliveries and blank face just did not seem right, especially in an ensemble full of over-the-top pirates. I am sorry, I understand that he is considered one of the most “badass” men around, but, watching this one show, I just don’t get it. However, I did enjoy him throughout the last 40 منٹ of the show. He was at his least awkard and showed some actual investment in his character. In fact, thought the climax drags, it is still a fun climax (props to involving Tiger Lily and Wendy in the fighting too!)
Neverland itself is unique. Although most interpretations emphasize it as an island, this one makes it look bright, colorful, and downright surreal to emphasize it as a magical place. I don’t think I have ever seen a Neverland look quite like it, with bright pinks and blues. It made Neverland مزید magical and childlike than other versions, and it works. It is supposed to be this magical, wonderful place where آپ never grow up یا have to face the many pressures and responsibilities of adulthood, and this looks like what it should be rather than some hot, dirty island.
The songs are well done and well performed. Though there are a few that are just right. There are your مزید childlike, up tempo songs that are fun and playful, “I’m Flying”, “I Won’t Grow up” and “Wendy.” But what was really done well in this production were the slower, beautiful ballads. Those being “Neverland”, and “Distant Melody”. They were soft, powerful in their own way, and with beautiful melodies, gorgeous singing, and the right amount of emotion, my ears wept happy tears of joy. My only problem with “Distant Melody” is that, although sung gorgeously, it makes less sense for Wendy to sing it as opposed to Peter, since it is made clear she can still remember her home. The whole subplot of the children forgetting about ہوم could have been explained a lot more, but this chance was thrown away.
Despite this, the writing was highly suitable as an adaption for the televised production. The songs fit right when they needed to, and it added the right balance of fun adventure and quiet wonder, even with the plays original dialogue, which ranges from stiff and awkward to memorable and strangely poetic. The ending of this version, is at first incredibly dark. Most versions end with the boys being adopted and Wendy looking out the window with the promise of Peters return. Well, in this version it is expanded. It faces the harsh reality of growing up, and that once one is grown up, though they will always keep the memory, legends, and wonder of Neverland they can never return. Though, a new generation will be born, and that generation will experience the wonder and adventure until they grow up, and get to visit Neverland and have adventures all over again.
Despite the many flaws of this production, the natural charm of the original tale is everywhere, and told with actual effort. As long as people still love the story of Peter Pan, it will be treasured generation after generation. This telling, though it may be temporary and fade with a new movie یا book adaption, will be no exception.