Review by Yasmin Elahi
The long-awaited Australian production of ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ has finally made its way to Brisbane. This multi-Tony award winning play by Rick Elice is playing at QPAC’s Playhouse Theatre until 6 April 2025. Produced in conjunction with Dead Puppet Society, the show boasts 100 characters, 90 puppets and 60 costumes combining to create a whimsical and magical journey.
Director David Morton used the space well. Rolling staircases were imaginatively employed to create everything from ship cabins, underground grottos and even mountains. The use of planks of wood and ropes to denote doors and corridors was mostly effective, but overall the stage felt a little bare for a show of this scale. The blocking was rather chaotic, giving the feeling of a pantomime. At times, the story was hard to follow due to the madcap happenings on stage. The special effects, such as Peter and Molly’s magic abilities felt a little lacklustre and disappointing.
Musical director James Dobinson’s idea to make the musicians visible on stage added to the nautical, sea-shanty flavour of the show. The use of instruments which would likely be found in a ship’s band added authenticity and the musician’s underscoring of the action on stage enhanced the show greatly.
Movement director Liesel Zink’s choreography leaned towards exaggerated movements which further pushed the show toward being a slapstick pantomime. It was clear the performers were given leeway with improvisation which added an organic feel to the movement, though at times the action on stage was a little messy and overwhelming.
The puppets, created by Dead Puppet Society, were the most whimsical aspect of the show. Though there were certainly not 90 puppets as advertised, the ones that were featured in the show were excellent. The cat’s construction and puppeteering was convincing and closely mimicked the movement of a real cat. The yellow birds, with their animated crests brimmed with personality and the twelve metre long crocodile was expertly crafted and by far the most impressive and magical moment of the show.
Sound design by Matthew Erskine and lighting design by Ben Hughes complemented the action on stage but were not particularly memorable in their own right. The same can be said for the costumes by Anna Cordingley which were sufficient and fit the time period and setting of the show.
The cast were clearly having a lot of fun performing this show and this enthusiasm and joy was the most charming aspect of the show. Olivia Deeble delivered the standout performance as Molly. Her stage presence and energy made her stand out from the chaos on stage and she easily captivated the audience’s attention.
Otis Dhanji delivered a committed performance as Peter and his rapport with Deeble was believable and sincere. Ryan Gonzales delivered a comedic and over-the-top performance in their numerous roles. They also brought the house down with their stellar vocal ability in Act Two.
Peter Helliar and Colin Lane were clearly enjoying their time on stage. Whether they were given creative licence or went rogue with ad libs, their natural comedic abilities were evident. Lane engaged with members of the audience at this performance and garnered the biggest laughs of the evening with his non-scripted dialogue. The mischievous pair further added to the pantomime nature of this show.
The remainder of the cast played a number of characters with energy and gusto, each embracing the dynamic and hectic stage antics.
Though the cast and creatives delivered a fun and professional show, this production struggled with its identity. At times it felt like a children’s pantomime, complete with toilet humour, but at other times the language was course and the innuendo geared toward a much older audience. The same can be said for the songs. There were musicians and musical numbers which would not be expected in a play, but not enough songs for this show to be classed as a musical. This meant the show fell somewhere in a grey area – not serious enough for a play, not childish enough for a children’s show, not enough songs for a musical but more music than would be expected in a straight play. And entirely too devoid of magic and charm to appeal to fans of Peter Pan, the notion of neverland and fairytales.
Overall, ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ was confused. With no clear genre or identity, the audience was left guessing as to what they were watching. However, the puppets crafted by Dead Puppet Society, the performances of the principle cast and the quick comedic timing of Helliar and Lane meant the audience had an enjoyable time, though it may not be what they were expecting for a show marketed as a whimsical theatrical masterpiece.
