Web Resource - Peter and the Starcatchers

In my efforts to find something about what makes musicals musicals that hasn't been rehashed probably at least twice by me, I defaulted to the NYTimes paper. Little bit sad, yes, but there's interesting stuff on there. Here I happened across of a review of Peter and the Starcatchers, based on a book which I read many, many moons ago, and so I was intrigued. (Let me note, I have a horrible memory and pretty much forget everything in my life if it was not some huge event, so I do not really recall the plot, just vague elements of the story.)

Based on the book by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry, adapted by Ricke Elice, it is the story of how one angst-riddled Boy (which is what he was called since he had no name) became the Peter Pan of J.M. Barrie's legend, as well as 'an enchanted anatomy of the primal human urge to defy gravity'. 

The review first comments on the airborne aspect of the musical, and while having someone suspended in midair is not a new thing, the crew of Peter and the Starcatchers do it without all the modern mechanics, and look even more confortable doing it. In fact, they have about the span of equipment that you might find in a theatre 150 years ago.

There are some anachronisms where 21st century locutions (read: speech style, phrases or idioms) are used but it holds the effect of a steampunk theatre, the Brooks Atkinson proscenium decked up to resemble something Victorian. It brings the simplistic 'and perhaps fuller magic wrought by its artistic ancestors. This does not make the story telling distant or weak, though, for all it is a 'cozy bedtime story', with ocean voyages and shipwrecks, mermaids and orphans. And yes, being about adolescent boys means there is the puns and flatulence jokes that are eye rolling and groan inducing. 'But there's infectious art in how these cast members convey the primal joy we take in such idiocy.' 

The actors have a level of synchronicity 'associated with master ballet troupes' as they take turns 'delivering the narrative'. It requires some selflessness but they do get their chances to swing into the spotlight. Each cast member gets a turn to bring the humour from low to high, keeping it silly as a story about flying boys should. 

So in analysis, it brought to life a children's story for everyone, it seems, while keeping it simplistic and childishly enjoyable. In a world that's growing up very fast (depending on your version of growing up), I happen to feel that's something everybody needs. A musical provides entertainment and escape into different worlds for the audience, and allows them to be someone else, somewhere else for a moment. It doesn't just have to be a form of escape, though, often times they do address serious issues.

1) How do musicals affect people? Emotionally, with compelling stories, probably, right? No?

Brantley, B. (2012, April 16). Effortless flights of fancy.The New York Times. Retrieved from http://theater.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/theater/reviews/peter-and-the-starcatcher-with-christian-borle.html