NBC's Peter Pan Live brings the stage to your television. With wonderful imagery, music and beautiful set designs, Peter Pan Live is appealing to the eyes and ears and is fun for the whole family. The story length may have taken away from the production, but it stayed true to the classical tale that children have enjoyed for years.
The scenery and set designs in Peter Pan Live were well put together and truly beautiful. The neutral colors of London compared to the bright neon colors of Neverland differentiate maturity and order from imagination and youth. The colors of Neverland, the "home of youth and joy and liberty," remind me of a coloring book. The only thing that faltered the idea of youth in Neverland were the 20-something year old actors who played the lost boys. If they were played by younger actors, I would find it more believable.
The special effects with the use of clever camera angles and TV magic were captivating. NBC put everything into the production, and it showed. The wires were pretty obvious in the flying scenes - not like they can edit it out with green screen - but that didn't take away from the magic. Tinkerbell, though just a flicker of light, added to the creativity. Though she wasn't really there, the actors did well to make it seem as if she were, the same goes for the fairy dust. The neon colored crocodile, "Tick-Tock," wasn't as large and ferocious as you would expect, taking away from the suspense that other versions brought. You'd have to have a large imagination to believe something like that would want to eat Captain Hook alive.
The musical numbers of Peter Pan were well composed and, more importantly, fun. The singing was very professional and the choreography that accompanied the music made the show more enjoyable. The costumes also added to the creativity; from Tiger Lily's tribe to the Lost Boys of Neverland, everything was well put together to provide beautiful and creative imagery for audiences.
The acting overall wasn't bad. Some shined more than others, making it hard to watch at times.
Minnie Driver served as narrator, as well as the adult version of Wendy Darling. Her soothing voice was welcoming for the storytelling, and her small part as Wendy flowed well with the story.
On the other hand, Christopher Walken's performance as Captain Hook was a little lackluster and sluggish. No stranger to musicals, having starred in the 2007 remake of Hairspray, Walken's performance doesn't translate well on live TV compared to film. Though he did provide a great amount of humor, especially in the "Vengeance" number with the pirates, his cues seemed a little off and his dancing was not as animated as others, as well as his singing/talking. In my opinion, he should stick to making movies.
Allison Williams was a good Peter Pan. Though her acting seemed a little pushed at times, her femininity gave the character innocence. As the main character, her performance was slightly forgettable. Her entrance wasn't as grand as I expected it to be, and by the end of the show, I didn't like the character any more or any less, but overall, she looked comfortable and sang very well.
The character of Wendy, played by Taylor Louderman, was superb from the beginning. She stole the scenes more than that of Williams.
The character of Hook's right-hand-man Mr Smee/ and Wendy's father George Darling, played by Christian Borle (Smash), really drew me into the show. He proved to be a true performer with great dancing, singing and acting. I found his character to be the most believable; with Borle looking extremely comfortable performing on live television, making it easy to enjoy.
I believe the production could have cut at least 30 minutes off and still have a good effect on audiences. The 3-hour show (including commercials) dragged on, losing my attention at times, but was a big step up from last year's The Sound of Music Live. Overall, I found it enjoyable, with just a few setbacks. I do believe both adults and children will find the show entertaining, and I would recommend others to watch. Peter Pan Live did well to open up the holiday season.