PETER PAN’S LABYRINTH at the The Vaults
β β β β
“Creaky plot apart, Peter Panβs Labyrinth is loaded with sparkling gifts for the audience.”
If The Sleeping Trees are back in town, it must be panto time. Well, sort of. For one thing, weβve only just climbed out of our Halloween costumes. How lucky for us that The Sleeping Treesβ by now familiar formula of mashing together well loved folk tales, allows us to enjoy November and the holiday season in a whole new way. Putting together Peter Pan with Labyrinth is certainly an eye opening take on two classic favourites. If you are curious to see what happens when Peter Pan actually does grow up, and how he manages to end up trapped in The Goblin Kingβs Labyrinth, hurry along to the Vaults near Waterloo Station. But donβt take the kids with you this time. Because Peter Panβs Labyrinth is an adult panto. Besides, who wants to spend time explaining the jokes to the kids when you could be singing and dancing along with Ziggy Stardust instead?
Peter Panβs Labyrinth is the same kind of unlikely mash up as the Sleeping Treesβ 2020 Moby Dick Whittington. Sadly, the 2022 combo isnβt quite as successful as the earlier production, even though itβs fantastic to see the Trees back on stage instead of in front of the camera. The inventive energy of the performances, the set and costume design (Maeve Black), and effortless rapport with the audience is still there. Sound design (Ben Hales) and Lighting Design (Clancy Flynn) are strong in The Vaultsβ rather gloomy setting. Perhaps the plot problem is that Peter Panβs Labyrinth really is about Peter Pan, and the Labyrinth part of the story mostly functions as a way of bringing on David Bowie in his fabulous wig and costumes. At any rate, Peter seems to spend a long time finding his way out of the Labyrinth, even if it is explained by the fact that he is now middle aged and unable to fly. Not even Kermit the Frog, and random appearances of characters from Guillermo del Toroβs Panβs Labyrinth are of much help to a man who has lost his job, his flat, and the fairy who used to be his best friend. It is left to the Goblin King to take pity on Peter and get him to Neverland in time to stop an unfortunate wedding. Youβve probably guessed by now who gets to be the baby that the King takes as his reward.
Creaky plot apart, Peter Panβs Labyrinth is loaded with sparkling gifts for the audience. The biggest gift is Dan Wye as Bowie, aka the Goblin King, himself. Wye almost steals the entire show. Heβs too smart to play the role as pure drag, however. What we get instead is a very elegant, ironic performance all dressed up as an entertainer who can sing beautifully. It does honour to King Goblin, and itβs just Bowie-like enough to make us remember Ziggy and hope heβs somewhere cool, enjoying Wyeβs performance. Wye has some serious competition in the trio of the Sleeping Trees, naturally. James Dunnell-Smith, John Woodburn and Joshua George Smith take on the roles of Wendy, Captain Hook, and Peter β and a whole host of unexpected cameos as well. The usual comedy mayhem ensues, and the audience is invited to join in often.
Peter Panβs Labyrinth is a fun night outβnot for the family perhaps, but the Sleeping Trees also have a family friendly show, Little Red Robin Hood, coming to the Battersea Arts Centre later on in the holiday season. In the meantime, you and your friends will get lots of pleasure from singing along with The Goblin King, and enjoying some fabulously punny cocktails at the bar.
Reviewed on 3rd November 2022
by Dominica Plummer
Photography by Alex Brenner
Top shows reviewed in October 2022:
A Single Man | β β β β | Park Theatre | October 2022
Barb Jungr Sings Bob Dylan | β β β β | Crazy Coqs | October 2022
Hofesh Shecter: Contemporary Dance 2 | β β β β β | Battersea Arts Centre | October 2022
Mary | β β β β | Hampstead Theatre | October 2022
The Choir Of Man | β β β β | Arts Theatre | October 2022
The Solid Life Of Sugar Water | β β β β β | Orange Tree Theatre | October 2022
The Two Popes | β β β β | Royal & Derngate | October 2022
Click here to read all our latest reviews