"PETER PAN."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20744, 11 December 1930, Page 18

"PETER PAN."

AN IMMORTAL PHANTASY. FINE PERFORMANCE GIVEN. TREAT FOR THE CHILDREN. Children and adults alike, must heartily thank the Little Theatre Society for the fine performance of Barrio's evergreen fantasy " Peter Pan" at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. Afler watching each scene, splendidly acted and beautifully produced, another entertainment was provided by listening to the excited juvenile comment in Ihe packed stalls and dress circle, for each entr'act was the signal for a vociferous debate between believers and sceptics. On the whole, the believers were in the majority, for Peter's famous appeal to the audience to save the life of Tink-a-Bell by demonstrating its belief in fairies was the signal for an outburst of tumultuous affirmation that completely drowned tho isolated sneers of a few little boys, who knew too much.

And what a night of excitement and mad adventure, with its truancy and pillow-fights, crawling crocodiles and Red Indians, rescues from tho jaws of death and battles with the pirates! The immortal Peter, whose determination not to grow up is spell a singular characteristic, provided (he first astonishing thrill by flying through tho air with almost breathless rapidity—a supernatural and impressive feat. Clever Scenic Effects. No expense has been spared (o give the play a worthy production. Mr. Arnold Goodwin, who was principally responsible for tho scenery, has achieved some beautiful effects in the Never Never Land, the home of tho lost boys, and the Home Under the Ground, in which the audience witnesses a dual action below and above ground, and he is cleverly imaginative in the closing scene in the tree tops. Dear old Nana, tho faithful watchdog, is there with her tail wagging heroically, tho Ostrich is of truly colossal proportions, the Indian braves arc gloriously red and taciturn, and tho pirates—well, they are true pirates, bloodthirsty and overburdened with cutlasses.

I licit dark and sinister man, Captain Hook, is there, with his skull and crossbones and grisly claw, his "Yo ho!" and his "So, my bullies!" Mr. Percy S. Crisp, in his plum-coloured suit and cocked hat, is the proper picture of piratical frightfulness and in the great and glorious scene on the pirate ship there was not a single tiny heart in the audience that did not miss a few beats as he tied Wendy to the mast and ordered the bovs in thunderous oaths to walk the plank. Smee, his retainer, acted by ]\lr. Dan Flood, is also there, revelling in the prospects of bloodshed and working busily at that anachronistic sewing machine.

A Lovable Peter. It is gratifying lo observe in Miss Biddy Pliilcox all the appealing elements that make for ;i thoroughly satisfying Pcler. Mixed with her boyish heroism is the whimsical elfin spirit (hat is the true Barrio. She made her voice heard in every pari of the house, and spoke her lines feelingly. Every child will love her Peter. Of Miss Joan Harlcy's Wendy it can bo said that she was a charming object for Peter's devotion. Mrs. Kstelle Yerran's Mother Darling was brisk and sympathetic and Mr. Bernard Brittain was adequately comic in the rather extraordinary burlesque that Barrio has made of the father. The other two children, Michael and John, are sturdily played by little j\!iss Isabel Henderson and Miss Lyned Alison. Miss Noni Wright plays Slightly and Miss Peggy Holmes and Miss Ela Brampton are the dancers. Mr. Brampton has produced the plav with much understanding of the real Barrie and he and tlio Little Theatre Society deserve the thanks of all parents for giving the children of Auckland a splendid Christmas treat. The play will bo repeated nightly until the end of the week, with a matinee on Saturday.