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View Winners → Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Show for Those Who Will Never Grow Old
Arcadia Weekly Dec 17, 2015
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(L-R) Chris Jarosz, Mason Trueblood, John O’Hurley, Parvesh Cheena and
Ricky Jaime in “Peter Pan and Tinker Bell – A Pirates Christmas” at The
Pasadena Playhouse. – Photo by Philicia Endelman
By Nathaniel Cayanan
On Dec. 9th, Pasadena Playhouse opened the panto musical “Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirates Christmas.” For those unfamiliar with this type of show, panto is a sort of stage production aimed at providing entertainment for the entire family by taking a traditional story (in this case Peter Pan) and adding slapstick comedy, audience participation, and modern day music and references with hopefully clever twists.
Produced by Lythgoe Family Productions, this show, for the most part, stays true to this British tradition, which the producers have been trying to engender here in the states for the last few years. On stage, you will find unique takes on this told-to-death tale. For example, you will find a Latina Tinker Bell, played by Chrissie Fit, who wears Heelys (those hybrid rollerblade sneakers that you see kids use to glide around the mall), youngsters performing energetic, choreographed dance sequences with hover boards, a bunch of Disney Channel veterans singing in colorful costumes, and oh, J. Peterman from “Seinfeld” (John O’Hurley). Now, admittedly, this hodgepodge of quirky actors and, at times, cheesy dialogue results in a show that may occasionally make some want to roll their eyes, but this all seems par for the course with panto. Overall, the show has a lot to appreciate.
On a stage draped in fanciful aesthetics and with the occasional snow raining down from the rafters, the cast exhibits some impressive talent, especially the younger members who offer up a mix of hip hop dancing and melodious singing, complemented by both pop music and Disney-esque melodies.
Kevin Quinn, who plays Peter Pan, is charming, albeit as comically hammy as pretty much everyone else on the stage. Sabrina Carpenter, who plays Wendy, shows off a truly magnificent voice, and Fit is quite funny. Even if at times it may feel like we are watching a bunch of aspiring teen actors vying to become the next Disney pop star, overall the cast wins over the audience with their youthfulness and energy.
Perhaps the best parts of the show are delivered by O’Hurley and Parvesh Cheena, who play Captain Hook and Smee, respectively. With humorous ad-libbing and consistently lively personas, they have us smiling whenever they come onto stage.
Sure, this performance is not the typical Christmas play that we are used to seeing this time of the year and the writing does not live up to the likes of playwright luminaries such as Arthur Miller or David Mamet, but it is panto. As long as you go in knowing that it is a show meant to be silly, tongue-in-cheek, self-referential, and entertainment aimed to bring the family to the theatre, then this show can be quite a bit of fun, especially for those, like Pan, who never grow old.
The production will run until Jan. 3rd, at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 South El Molino Avenue. Tickets range from $25 to $77, with premium seating available for $125. They can be purchased through the Playhouse’s website (www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org), in person at the box office, or by calling (626) 356-7529.
Chrissie Fit in “Peter Pan and Tinker
Bell – A Pirates Christmas” at The
Pasadena Playhouse. – Photo by Philicia Endelman
