“Doesn’t it look safe up there?” This is the question that the main character Molly asks her unnamed friend as they look at the stars (in this case, flashlights) from the deck of the ship (the stage) they are aboard. For me, however, I use the phrase in reference to the fine production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” produced by the Williamsburg Players and directed by Neil Hollands. “Doesn’t it look safe up there?” I wonder as I watch the actors parade around each other and work in tandem. Spanning all ages of cast and crew, the musical was brought to life beautifully.
Attendees are greeted by the captivating sounds of songs such as Fisherman's Friends' “Strike the Bell” as part of the pre-show playlist as they get their first taste of the set. A large structure spanning the entire back part of the stage, created from different shades of wood, quickly became little more than a background prop to the many visual aids running throughout the show. What made this series stand out was that it was extremely prop heavy, but not in the way you might think. Actors have become doors, stairs, cages and more! There was constantly some sort of moving aspect to keep the audience's attention.
Although it was a little difficult at first to make sense of the stage props and the actors' body movements, the story is captivating. The only incidents were a few instances where the auditorium speakers picked up whispers and conversations backstage. With origins in Peter Pan, the musical, based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, is about an orphan and his friends who are shipped from Victorian England to an island ruled by an evil king. They don't realize there's a mysterious trunk on board, and at sea, the boys meet Molly, who is training to become a “starcatcher” and discovers that the trunk contains “star stuff” – a powerful substance that cannot fall into the wrong hands. .
Williamsburg players
“Peter and the Starcatcher” stars include top, left to right, Margaret Perry (Molly) and Samuel Foraker (Boy) and front, left to right, Brendan O'Brien (Ted) and Ronnie Littmann (Prentiss) . Courtesy of Williamsburg Players
I went into this production blind, without ever seeing or hearing anything about the story. I found it very enjoyable to learn the history along the way. The play represented such strong themes of feminism, despite its predominantly male cast. An argument over who was the “leader”, which lasted throughout the two-hour show, always ended with the sweet main character Molly, played on the evening of June 1 by Margaret Perry, winning the title and teaching the boys that just because you're a man doesn't mean you automatically become the boss.
On the other hand, coincidentally, one of the boys fighting for the role of leader (Ted, played in this show by Brendan O'Brien) was seen early in the play doing an imitation of this what, according to him, a girl behaves like. Then, later in the play, we see him recycle this impression to describe how a witch acts. This small detail only reinforced the underlying themes of how different genders and social classes perceive their peers so distinctly, even when they don't realize it. The actors' choice of body movements and influx of voices continued to bring out these little character quirks that added a layer of complexity to the entire show.
It was a simply fun production, with every actor engaged in their role. The second act was introduced with a full mermaid/sea creature flirting scene that could have gone completely wrong, but was the most perfect way to refocus the audience's gaze after the short intermission.
With pirates, adventure, laughs and more, this production is definitely one to watch. There are two casts, the Neverlanders cast and the Wasp's Nest cast, depending on which show you are attending. The production runs Thursday to Sunday at the Hubbard Lane Theater until June 16, with shows at 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and also at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For tickets, visit williamsburgplayers.org or call the box office at 757-229-0431.
