REVIEW: Peter Pan: A Twinkle In Time

Once a twink, always a twink? Dean Robinson’s “Peter Pan: A Twinkle In Time” attempts to set the record straight - poor choice of words - regarding this classic conundrum with the timeless tale of Peter Pan as his vehicle. It’s chock full of endless references for both Disney adults and queer community alike, with even a nod to any remaining Gleeks in the world.

Dean delivers a sweet, vacant but always eager performance as Peter Pan, and felt most at ease delivering quick comebacks and impromptu callbacks to the audience. There were some transitional moments where the ship lost its buoyancy, but a catchy tune or a musical montage would reel us back into the action. I feel the piece would benefit from clearer narrative structure and a generous crank of the Disney notch energetically for future iterations. 

Photo Credit: Noam Cohney

I would have liked for the soundtrack, particularly in the song-and-dance moments of the show, to have been pumped louder to support the action on stage, and for transitions to have been a smidge tighter. I’ve never been invited to cover up a costume change by asking my neighbours about their sexuality before, but it did lead to some delightful mid-show conversation with a lovely stranger who remarked, ‘I’m not gay, but I think I’d have more fun if I was!’

My personal highlights were the moments of audience interaction, bringing playful vibes with a healthy dose of queer icon trivia, Mad Libs like you’ve never seen before and a sprinkle of roleplay, therapeutically. While this brand-new production is still finding its feet, it has oodles of gold nuggets that I can’t wait to see expanded upon and refined in future stagings.

Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory remains an incredibly versatile space, and is the perfect Midsumma venue hosting a wide variety of shows over the next few weeks. I truly recommend supporting the theatre and artists taking part in this festival. Peter Pan: A Twinkle In Time is running until the 24th January, so catch him quick before he finds his pixie dust! 

For tickets click here

2.5 out 5 Stars