The Man Who Was Peter Pan

The Australian premiere of The Man Who Was Peter Pan is playing at South Perth’s Old Mill Theatre. This play, which inspired the film Finding Neverland and the musical of the same name, is an artistic retelling of the life of J. M. Barrie and his real life muses and later wards, the Llewelyn Davies boys, who, with Barrie himself are the inspiration for Barrie’s most famous work, Peter Pan.

James Matthew Barrie is played with dedication and quiet charm by Gino Cataldo, who bears a passing resemblance to the real life Barrie, and inhabits him nicely. He establishes and maintains believable relationships with the Llewelyn-Davies family, including an “almost romance with the widowed Sylvia, played with grace and conviction by Anna Head.

The roles of the Llewelyn-Davies boys are very challenging, with the young men playing the roles required to age from pre-teen children to grown men. Michael Nicholls, a new arrival to Perth, proves a welcome addition to Perth theatre as eldest son George, who takes his eldest child responsibilities seriously. Alec Federer is a likeable, larrikinesque Jack, with a lovely sense of fun. Charlie Young is lovely as ill-fated Michael, played with thought and sensitivity. 15-year-old Jacob Miles shines as highly conflicted Peter, in a beautifully crafted performance, with great depth. While at first it is a little jarring to see these men portray very little boys, their genuine, heartfelt performances make it easy to suspend disbelief.

The largely symbolic set, supplemented with some excellent projections by Rosalyn Anderson and Sarah Christiner, and sympathetic lighting design by John Woolwrych, allow us to travel to multiple locales, and the inclusion of real-life pictures of Barrie and the Llewelyn-Davies family is particularly poignant.

This is a gentle, well-told story that flows beautifully. Perfect for fans of Peter Pan and J. M. Barrie, but this nostalgic tale of family, created family and love will have much broader appeal.

Kimberley Shaw