Dead and Barrie’d: ‘Peter Pan’ Grows Old

HUNTINGTON BEACH — “Peter Pan” ain’t broke, but they keep fixing it anyway.

Musical versions of the play continue to pop up, even though only one is worth doing or seeing: the enchanting early ‘50s edition by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne, starring Mary Martin. (Cathy Rigby is savvy enough to also have done the classic version from time to time.)

Simply put, there’s no suitable alternative to songs such as “Never Never Land” or “I’ll Never Grow Up.”

The production offered by Orange County Children’s Theatre at the Huntington Beach High School auditorium is a weak adaptation by the usually reliable Royal Shakespeare Company-pedigreed John Caird and Trevor Nunn. Their first error was to exclude a composed lyrical score, allowing whomever staged their version to come up with one.

This “Peter Pan” has a new score--music by David A. Hall and lyrics by Jim Blaylock and Tim Powers--that gives the term “amateurish” a bad name.

Marred by a tinny taped synthesizer accompaniment, its songs are instantly forgettable, lacking even the simple charm to incite humming.

The songs also often miss the point of the story. Charlap’s and Styne’s “I’ll Never Grow Up” reflects the tale’s core of arrested childhood--”lost boys,” led by Peter in Never Land, warding off life’s cruelties with pint-sized kinship. The new score comes up with a meaningless ditty, “Time to Grow Up.” You get the idea.

But you’re not likely to hear the lyrics, because the young actors, some not ready for major singing roles, struggle against inadequate mikes and the often loud playback of the infernal recorded synthesizer.

With a mighty effort that makes your heart go out to him, Trevor Brackney as Peter tries to overcome these obstacles. That pros, let alone adolescent performers, could hardly surmount them calls into question the judgment of director Diane Christensen and her staff.

Which is why lively performances by Amanda Loomer as Wendy and John Blaylock as Capt. Hook are nearly miraculous. Even when the sloppily staged action and long scenes drag on, the pair’s energy keeps things a little buoyant.

Choreographer Amanda Murphy provides the other sign of life, a showstopping number for high-stepping Lisa Clayton’s Tiger Lily and her female Indian tribe: “Tiger Lily’s Brag.” For a few minutes, this show actually rocks.

For the rest of the 2 1/2-plus hour--a long sit, especially for younger audience members--not even the rudimentary flying stunts (by ZFX Inc.) offer much to crow about. You know, as in “I Gotta Crow”? Oh, yeah, wrong “Peter Pan.”

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* “Peter Pan,” Huntington Beach High School auditorium, 1905 Main St. Today, 1 and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m. Ends Sunday. $5. (714) 502-2244. Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Trevor Brackney: Peter Pan

Amanda Loomer: Wendy

John Blaylock: Captain Hook

Lisa Clayton: Tiger Lily

Aaron Cirilo: John

Spenser Kalantzis: Michael

Danny Blaylock: Smee

Susie Lewis: Storyteller

Ben Dynice: Mr. Darling

Jeanette Phillips: Mrs. Darling

January Malkus: Tinker Bell

An Orange County Children’s Theatre production. Book by John Caird and Trevor Nunn, adapted from James M. Barrie’s play. Music by David A. Hall. Lyrics by Jim Blaylock and Tim Powers. Directed by Diane Christensen. Choreography: Amanda Murphy. Flying by ZFX Inc. Lights: Steve Smith. Set: Steve Lewis and Jim Blaylock. Costumes: Pattie Shapiro.