JM Barrie’s Peter Pan

I know I’m a bit late for this review…24 months late to be exact, but in my defense I had no idea I was able to Unilocal musicals!
This was an unique experience I would never forget. And it was quite magical as well because it brought back childhood memories of my love for the story of Peter Pan and his lost boys. I loved walking up to the large white tents and having a large candy bar available for us makes me feel gitty and excited like a child. I enjoyed their take on Tinkerbell. Although she didn’t have her signature green dress, they gave her a loud spunky personality that was enjoyable to watch throughout the play. Everyone from Smee to Wendy stayed true to the story.
The 360 degree screen was truly a one of a kind experience. They did an amazing job with the 3D projections and incorporating it to the show. I also admire how minimalistic the stage and props were. It leaves so much to your imagination. I am so grateful this production came around and I was able to be a part of the audience. BRAVO!

JM Barrie’s Peter Pan was not at all what I expected, it went beyond what I’d imagined. Yes, it’s inside a vaulted white tent, but it’s insulated enough that you feel more indoors than out. Plus, the vaulted tent sides doubled as screens for 3D projections. The elaborate 360 screen combined with the theatre in the round experience was truly one-​of-​a-​kind.
I loved the enthusiastic thespians; the production incorporated minimal, abstract sets that offered an opportunity to imagine. I liked Tinkerbell’s rough-​around-​the-​edges wrath! This version of Peter Pan was memorable, the highlights: the ethereal mermaids sequence is, as others have described, out of Cirque du Soleil; Tiger Lily’s dance, the dancer is talented and seductive; puppeteers depicted Nana the dog and a bird, it was fun and quirky. It was cute how the children in the audience were so enchanted (I think everyone found it magical), they joined in whispering «I do believe in fairies» with Peter. The crocodile is absolutely terrifying and massive, it was depicted by actors moving around under a sculptural looking croc skin made of clothes hangers.
I would highly recommend seeing Peter Pan at OCPAC to anyone who loves fairy tale magic but can also appreciate the slower paced, but emotionally poignant, play format. I found the small theatre intimate. The 360 screen makes it a memorable, enveloping experience.

I love Peter Pan. I grew up watching the videotaped theater production version (1960) and the Disney version. As an adult, my favorite version is the live action version released in 2003. I love this version because it isn’t fluffy like the Disney version. It has some real grit to it, but at the same time it maintains the magical, never-​grow up fantasy alive. The evil mermaids, the sarcastic/​whiny/​jealous/​bitchy Tinkerbell, the absent-​minded Peter Pan who just loves Wendy. Such a great story. I also really enjoy Finding Neverland as a glimpse into the world of J.M. Barrie. It makes me appreciate the story of the boy who never grew up, so much more.
Okay, so that being said; I was looking forward to the day I would get to experience the theatrical version that had been so popular across the pond. It sounded like it would be a great addition to my favorite Peter Pan productions and based on the reviews it sounded like a night well worth the $ 45 ticket.
Well, that’s where my assumptions stop and reality sets in. The threesixty theater was not what I was expecting and it was much smaller than the online seating chart made it seem. I was expecting 500+ seats to be filled to the brim but instead it was more like 200 seats and an entire section was empty.
My friends and I had our hearts set on drinking wine during the show so we coughed up the $ 30 each ($ 10 per glass) to keep ourselves happy for the duration. We also coughed up another $ 5 – 10 each for food items. The cost of the drinks/​food made the ticket price seem minuscule.
The show started out interestingly enough and we were not turned off of it immediately, but by the time Peter Pan actually showed up on stage our interest was waning. The acting was OVER THE TOP. I love theater but this production quickly started to feel like a second stage college production rather than an expensive world renowned production. The female characters all had microphones taped to their foreheads for some reason (couldn’t they have put them somewhere else) and they all spoke in such high voices that my brain started to hurt.
I liked Tinkerbell. I knew to expect a fussy, tantrum throwing Tinkerbell and that was one of my favorite parts of the 2003 film so she didn’t bother me AND we had the understudy for Tinkerbell which we were happy about (because the understudy was sooooo much prettier than the actual Tinkerbell — based on the program photos — and Tinkerbell SHOULD be cute/​pretty — I hate ugly fairies).
The entire production seemed like a joke. Minimal sets, minimal costumes and very little use of the 360 degree screen. in fact, without the screen I think the show would have been better.
The entire production was meant to be imaginative. The audience was invited to really use their imagination and suspend disbelief entirely. I appreciate this to an extent (using the bathtub as a boat, building the hut out of «found» items, the crocodile made out of clothes hangers) because it makes the play seem like it would if kids playing in a park had created it… like a runaway Pan playing make believe in Kensington Park. Artistic? Yes. Inventive? Yes. Great entertainment for all ages? Not really.
The young boy, age 3 – 4, in front of us had a sword with him and laughed when he was supposed to laugh and really seemed to enjoy it. The two men in front of us left at the intermission. So I guess it isn’t for everyone.
Once we realized that the play was pretty much poking fun at itself, we enjoyed it more. We realized the actors were over-​the-​top because they were having fun with their parts. I just wish it hadn’t taken us 3 glasses of wine and most of the show to realize this.
I’m glad I saw it because even mediocre theater is better than no theater.
Also, during the seductive dance that Tigerlilly does (and some immature comments amongst ourselves) our eyes were glued to the stage for the first and last time of the night. I think that girl missed her true calling. Haha. But don’t worry, it isn’t too seductive for children. Only adults can see the sexuality of the dance and of Tigerlilly in general.
Things I liked:
The mermaids
Tigerlilly
The attempt to make the show 100% imagination based
The humor
Things I didn’t like:
The size of the theater
The 360 screen usage
The over-​the-​top acting
The attempt to make the show 100% imagination based

I’m another luke-​warm voter on this one. The special effects are phenomenal — you’ll love it, as long as someone is flying (I would have paid for a chance to take a flight between performances!). When they hit the ground … not so much. The screenplay is thin on plot development (though there’s plenty of dialog, a good deal of it unintelligible to American ears), the characters range from benign (almost everyone but Peter and Wendy) to obnoxious (Tinkerbell — played like Helena Bonham Carter in her most deranged performance yet), the performances are not so much bad as just un-​noteworthy (well, Tiger Lily is quite bendy, though her big dance scene is just … odd). Some of the production values were interesting — the multipurpose use of manholes and staircases, the puppets (although they were a bit extraneous at times; what was the purpose of ostrich?). But overall, I was bored silly between flights, and there was a lot of time between flights. These were $ 70 tickets, and I’m still fighting an internal debate over whether the aerodynamics alone were worth it – without them, the performance was most definitely not.

I’m going to have to go against the grain on this one.
This show was nothing like I had pictured it in my mind. When I read that it was 360 degree viewing, I was unsure of how that would be entailed, however, a circus tent was definitely not what I had in mind. It was a much smaller setting that I believed it would be and props were minimal (a.k.a they used a bathtub on wheels to resemble a rowboat and used mops as oars?) The number one thing that I really did not like was Tinkerbell’s character — nothing short of annoying and loud. She was like nails to a chalkboard in my ears. Literally, she screeched like a dying weasel the entire time. At no point were any of her words audible. It was more like gibberish. That just really, really bothered me.
So at least I can say something positive about the dialouge– it was witty at times. The cast used the word ‘ass’ a few times and I could see little kids in the audience gasping, while covering their mouths as they turned to their parents. It was kinda cute. The actors were are all great and I can tell they worked long, hard hours. That can easily be appreciated. I am sure this type of production takes hours upon hours of practice and patience. So in that aspect, I enjoyed the play.
Would I recommend this to someone? Probably not. But am I glad I went? Sure, why not.

completely disappointed in this production. predictable and boring, and completely annoyed by the ‘fairy with an attitude’ twist to the tinkerbell persona. found it to be very inappropriate for the age group that it is being marketed to (hello, candy bar at the entrance. shameless!) oh, and i forgot to mention the lap dance that tiger lily performs… c’mon now!

This show rocked! I felt like the first time I saw a Cirque show in a tent across the street at South Coast Plaza, amazed.
Other than the fact that Tinkerbell got on my last nerve really fast, I enjoyed everything else. The way the 360 film is integrated with the live action is brilliant and the puppetry and props are killer.
If you’ve got kids (or not), take advantage over the Holidays. There’s nothing like a live performance. All of the seats are good, so no need to splurge on the seats down front.

After a celebratory meal at Mastros, I topped off the night with JM Barrie’s Peter Pan at the Orange County Performing arts Center.
Having never read the book, I came into the show with little to no expectations.
Although props and special effects were minimal, the production was clever and innovative. With the exception of Tigerlily’s seductive mating dance and the random pirate getting his throat slashed by Captain Hook, there was a playful, child-​like feel about the entire show. Warning: this is NOT a Disney production, so if you come thinking Tinkerbell is this cute little blonde pixie, you WILL be disappointed. In this production, she’s a brash and feisty brunette that doesn’t look like she’s bathed in weeks! LOL
All joking aside, If you come in with an open mind, you will enjoy the show :) The addition of the circus tent as a 360 degree motion screen added an interactive element to the show, which was nice.
There were moments when Peter Pan and company were gliding through the air and I actually felt like I was flying with the them!
The show did run a bit long in my opinion. In fact, there were some really slow moments with too much theatrical chatter but overall, it was an enjoyable show. It had charm, wit, some really funny moments and some truly tender ones, as well.

Being that I live across the street and hear the production every night except for Mondays I will still give it 5 stars because it’s an awesome production.
Not a bad seat in the house. The props are cleaver and the actors were enjoyable. I found it to be the right length of time. Tinkerbell was awesome. Loved her. Captain hook was great also.
The CGI IMAX feature is super cool! Nice touch.

The overall venue was cool. Nice setup, outside and in. I liked the 360 degree theater, very impressed with the clarity. The flying actors were nice but nothing that hasn’t been seen or done before. Now for the issues, the stage itself was very dry, utilizing the same props in many different scenes and locations. Tinkerbell as a character was terrible and was very annoying throughout the play (think Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars and other annoying characters.) The play started with the actors screaming over one another and continued on. The alligator was just strange and the other two puppet animals made it even stranger. Tiger Lily’s ‘thank you’ dance was just plain bizarre. This isn’t anyone’s fault, but I didn’t understand some of the British humor. Not worth it at all, please save your money.
Check out the SF reviews for the real deal on this horrible play.

I am shocked that the San Francisco crowd gave Threesixty’s production of Peter Pan (
) an average of only 3 stars. Well, actually not that surprised, Unilocalers are not exactly known for being very culturally sophisticated.
Yes, it was a bit long, but theater is generally long. I think that maybe there were too many Gen-Xer’s who can only thrive on constant instant gratification reviewing the show, in the SF Unilocal reviews.
I found the production stunning. If you know the real version of Peter Pan or have seen the (1960) Mary Martin version of Peter Pan, you are sure to enjoy the Threesixty version.
The coolest part about the show is the combination of IMAX technology and traditional theater. This version stays very true to the original Peter Pan, not Disney’s interpretation. Tinkerbell is right on the mark, and the mermaid acrobatics made me want to run away and join a Cirque show!
I also found the outdoor reception area incredibly charming! There is an adorable candy shoppe and even a nice cabana lounge section. If I go again, I am going to get there early to take advantage of these to relax before the curtain!
If you get an opportunity to see the Threesixty production of Peter Pan, take it! It is definitely worth it!

This is playing now through November 21 (with a chance for extension) at the Orange County Performing Arts Center near the South Coast Plaza in Orange County. It is the London version with special CGI graphics in a tent theater in the round, so don’t judge it by some Disneyland or Mary Martin musical production. Thank goodness, I hate musicals, there is not much singing or music for that matter. This is also theater in the round, NOT a traditional stage. The special effects are all about the projected graphics on the upper part of the tent, and the FLYING. Especially the flying.
i liked the characters and the acting, including an unconventional Tinkerbell. She doesn’t even wear green, just a dirty pink tutu, jungle boots and a wifebeater top. The puppets are also great, especially the croc. And Tiger Lily puts on quite a performance for Peter.
The view is pretty good from any seat, Section C is quite good as you are directly behind the actors as they fly toward Neverland. Seats are hard plastic and really squashed together. If you are fat or claustrophobic get an end seat. I think about halfway up is fine, and even the back rows will be good. The show runs two hours with a 20 minute break, which really isn’t long enough to go use the restrooms over at the big Segerstrom concert hall.
TIP: You can park for free over at South Coast Plaza’s parking lot (sort of near the Sears is good).