An Exit 22 Company production.
Adapted for the stage by Rick Elise Music by Wayne Barker
Based on the book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
For those of you who were desperate for a little backstory to Peter Pan, look no further. Peter and the Star Catchers is a play based off of the 2004 novel of the same name. This play is equal parts funny and riveting, and a wild adventure from start to finish.
Allow me to set the stage:
Act one begins with an ensemble of actors telling the audience what to expect. Naturally, if you’re familiar with the world of Peter Pan, you’ll know the themes already. You don’t need me to tell you. But for those of you who are unfamiliar with this world, it is one of dreams, growing up, and flying, with of course, a little help from a fairy. We start at a busy port, where we are introduced to Lord Leonard Aster (Ethan Shankaruk) his daughter, Molly (Rachel Heath) and her Nanny, Mrs Bumbrake (Nathan Hayes). It is Lord Aster’s task to take care of one of two trunks on the long sailing to the kingdom of Rundoon, labelled “precious cargo” for the Queen. Lord Aster gains assistance from his friend, Captain Robert Falcon Scott (Santana Berryman) on the voyage.
It’s over the top and combines imagination, audience participation, and a sense of wonder
The other trunk is a decoy, filled with sand, and is sent on a different ship, captained by Bill Slank (Cameron Kerr). Meanwhile, Gremkin, (Sam Coates) the schoolmaster of the St. Norbert’s Orphanage for Lost Boys, sells three orphans to Gremkin to take along on the voyage. One of these boys realizes that there is no one who cares enough to say goodbye to him, and proclaims loudly that he hates grownups. The story follows both ships on their journey to Rundoon, with Aster and Scott on one ship, and Molly, Mrs. Bumdrake, the orphans and Gremkin on the other. During the sailing, Molly and one of the orphans strike up a friendship, and it goes from there.
The play features mermaids, fairies, true friendship, witty banter, sword fights and shipwrecks, and one amazing villian in Black Stache (Braeden Saucy). It’s over the top and combines imagination, audience participation, and a sense of wonder to make for an exciting spectacle that you won’t ever forget. I adored the mermaid costumes and found myself legitimately hanging on the edge of my seat at some points in the production. All in all, I cannot recommend it higher.
Image courtesy of Exit 22 (Capilano University Theatre ) Facebook page