It may have been Quixotic, but it was magnificent!

Peter Pan - das Nimmerlandmusical

Fliegende Bauten,  Hamburg, 27/11/2013

It was August when learning of this show with the creative team setting up a crowd funding project and one of them being the by me highly rated and adored Jan Radermacher.

Contributing some money to it I was pleased that they hit target which was to be spent on the set. 

In September I got already the first impression of the set when the cast performed at the annual Hamburg theatre night and yesterday it was finally the day of the official premiere after two previews last week.

Having plans away this weekend and next I kinda "had to" go to the first show even if it meant going to one with most people most probably having freebies as knowing someone who knows someone etc.  so you never know what the crowd will be like.
On in the "Fliegende Bauten" theatre,a tent like venue having some weird seating system, you book a certain category and you can take any seat in that category wherever in that tent, so more or less first come basis, they have a few so called loges seats you book directly.

As so not in mood for this rushing thing I booked one of these even if it meant spending a few € more.

Pleased with that decision as had a good seat close but not too close to stage watching a lovely show far away from some certain people with attitude problems  (just because you say in a Q&A you are nice, you are not genuinely nice, no, more genuinely rude seeing how you treat people you don't like, okay, enough rambling). Saying that it was also good to see a few as the talented performer Manuel Ettelt being as adorable as always.

Telling rather closely the well known story of the J.M. Barrie novel the show can tell in an enjoyable way the adventures of Peter, Wendy and all the others.

A couple of years ago the Schmidt Theater presented a Peter Pan musical with actually Jan as Peter which, while fun missed some essential material to tell the story faithfully and the whole production was so OTT especially a pathetic camp Hook, so with this production going back to the story roots and the major themes (which as far as I know was one of the reasons why the guys came up with the idea bringing this on stage) as the conflict between child- and adulthood, the first romantic feelings, often excluded in other productions, being largely well elaborated with the addition of partly subtle partly direct but always children suitable humour and wit to the show.

There is the odd length especially in the first act as taking too long till the children get to Neverland or when Hook and Smee discuss plans dialogues being too long and a bit unexciting, which is worst thing you can do as kids just get distracted then when either the conversation could be shortened or turned into a song.

But these are just minor issues and me loving to nitpick when I really should tell of the good things: the staging, the cast, the music,  the costumes, all the other little bits and pieces - except maybe the sound as it was occasionally either too quiet or too unbalanced with especially the quietness annoying me as the songs have the quality to rock the theatre (I personally also would have loved to see show at a slightly smaller theatre, the atmosphere in it is a bit too sterile for me) but that hopefully that can be easily fixed as the songs are wonderful.

I hadn't been too keen on the pre-released songs on various websites but hearing them live was certainly a different experience sounding fresh, catchy and infectious (in past kids shows I have seen songs too often sound too childish, too much like lame traditional kids songs being recycled etc.) suppporting the storyline well, yes, they are not innovative but i certainly left the theatre humming a few of them, and e.g. a ballad Wendy sings about missing home and wanting to return is so sweet and tender with mellow lyrics and dulcetly sung by Kim Berger.

Speaking of the cast it can impress. 

Kim Berger does not just shine with that ballad but her overall portrayal is well balanced being torn between childhood and oncoming adulthood being on the brink of adolescence,  especially when facing her growing feelings for Peter and the rejection that it is a delight to watch her on this journey.

Tim Kreuer in the title role wouldn't have been my obvious choice and he occasionally lacks stamina and comes across bit too grown up (and let's be honest "my" Peter just simply is Jan) when it is especially Peter not wanting to grow up but then there are other moments when he shows just the right boyish bold charm I'd expect being also such a whirlwind. Once more consistent with routine he will certainly be even more the cornerstone for this show.

A personal highlight is Robert Missler as Captain Hook being hilariously mean (though never too much being too scary) and sharp - and unlike in the Schmidt Theater production that part never seeks all the attention but still the typical characteristics of Hook are there. And his Mr Darling is perfectly strict and English-ly stiff.

Bastian Kohn manages a great balancing act in his double role as Michael and Smee (plus various other smaller parts as all performers usually take over more parts as pirates, Indians etc. than their main part(s). His Michael, the youngest Darling child, is so loveable, sensitive and closely childlike and his Smee is funnily gritty on one hand and somehow genial on the other. With the show obviously being in German he cannot sound Irish so he speaks with a Hamburg slang adding the odd jolly moment.

Valentino Karl as John is such a cute geek with all his knowledge so no use for him in Neverland and last but not least Annette Krossa delivers a powerful performance as Tiger Lily and a moving one as Mrs Darling and certainly brings the roof down with her belting.

And then there is the clever direction and staging whoever was in charge (no kind of programmes available) most of the time.

There is besides the odd length in a scene also the odd length in the scene changes interrupting the show flow and which require some rework bringing action forward to the edge of stage while scene changed at back as e.g. the case when the children return home and the set changing from the Jolly Roger to bedroom.

Set prior show

But besides that with the good material and cast there are plenty of smart directing, choreographing and staging ideas that were 'ah-ing' with also utilising the flexible set well which is a bedroom on one side, Jolly Roger ship on other, home of the lost boys on the third, plus with "just" some blue linen the sea comes alive where the mermaids live (being full size puppets) and so on.

The smallest bits in the show were thought through thoroughly from when Peter reconnects with his shadow, Hook baking a cake to Tinkerbell drinking Peter's medicine to save his life (special mentioning also to costumes which were done with such an eye for detail).

Besides the mermaid puppets the Tinkerbell illumination was well done as the use of shadow play for flight scenes. 

The cutest extra puppet though was the family dog Nana looking so adorable and played so well in the opening scene.

I was also pleased there was just the odd interaction with the audience. In the Schmidt Theater productions it is often out of place these days but here just part of the natural flow of the show as when Tinkerbell needs to be rescued.
 

Overall an enchanting, entertaining afternoon with the show having something rare in the theatre world these days - passion that it is fun to watch it.  I may return when there is a paying audience.

More information about the show etc here  http://www.immerland-theater.de
Pictures from the show on the NDR website