Starcatcher offers sense of wonder and joy
Pity the child who lives in a factbased world!
Enter the world of “Peter and the Starcatcher” where flashlights act as twinkling moonlight and puppets become ferocious beasts; a world in which all you need to fly is a pinch of stardust.
The cast of Governor Simcoe’s “Peter and the Starcatcher” needed little more than one another to create a sky-high performance filled to the brim with enchanting creativity. Encouraging the childish desire of the willingness to accept the extraordinary; woven into this masterfully performed play are lessons on the depths of human greed, despair, friendship, and love.
In this prequel to the beloved Peter Pan tale, the audience is transported into the world of dejected orphan boy turned legend Peter Pan, and starcatcherin-training Molly Aster. The spirited girl boards a ship called the Neverland, where three orphan boys are held captive in the cargo hold. Aboard the other ship, the Wasp soon to be taken over by a group of bumbling buccaneers is Molly’s father Lord Aster. Centred around the cleverly staged feud between two ships, the crews chase each other across the stage in search of the stardust-filled chest.
Adam McIsaac gave a striking performance as the notorious Peter Pan the character’s radiant boyishness and cynical nature on full display. McIsaac’s poignant facial expressions and expressive tone gracefully illustrated the character's dynamic shift from nameless skeptic to leader of the lost boys.
Emma Fox, the precocious Molly Aster, was immersed in the role of the quirky 13-turned-15year-old, executing her role with believable childlike naivety. While suitably small in stature, Fox’s presence onstage resembled nothing of the young teenager she portrayed her expressive nature exemplified the spunky yet charming character.
Aboard the Wasp is the gleefully incompetent Black Stache (Lucas Romanelli). With teasingly zany sword flourishes and the characterized-Captain-Hook prolific mustache, Romanelli’s facetious humour and zealous delivery sent the audience roaring. Accompanied by the animated Smee (William ShicklunaPierce), the pair's irresistible energy highlights the pure and uplifting nature of the play.
Shickluna-Pierce revelled in the role of impish and comedic sidekick, his ardent facial expression and impeccable comedic timing brought a childish vigour to the production.
Mathew Taylor impressed as the eccentric Italian-spouting Mollusk Leader, Fighting Prawn, skilfully handling rapid-fire dialogue, and a dynamic force throughout.
While minimal, the simple stage design provided ample opportunity for the cast to excel. Despite moving across the stage with energetic synchronicity and evident trust, the expansive cast occasionally became overwhelming. The abstract set reveals the true power of the imagination: In the blink of an eye, battered boxes and benches transform into two warring flagships filled with music and sound, and the sapphire ribbons dangled across centre stage become the flowing water of the ocean.
Similarly filled with excellently executed imaginative sequences, Molly moves through the intricacies of the Neverland with perfect harmony as actors change from bickering sailors to motionless pieces of the ship’s hold. Emphasized by skilful light design and coordinated audio effects, Peter and the Starcatcher excels through its accompanying technical elements.
Hilarious sophomoric humour, ingenious detail, and endless enthusiasm result in a magnificently captivating show that soars on resourceful creativity. The cast gracefully navigates the mature themes and humour underlying the play, while also maintaining the light-hearted energy that is the essence of this production.
With a fast-paced narrative, spirited cast, and prevailing message, Governor Simcoe’s feel-good performance of “Peter and the Starcatcher” whisks the audience away in a cloud of sea spray and stardust, bringing with it a sense of wonder and joy that transcends all boundaries of age and gender.