THE HANGOVER REPORT – PETER PAN GOES WRONG expands upon Mischief Theatre’s extreme brand of theatrical shenanigans

The company of “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (photo by Jeremy Daniel).

Last night, Mischief Theatre’s production of Peter Pan Goes Wrong opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. First staged across the pond in the U.K., the production comes to New York with ticket-selling headliner Neil Patrick Harris, that is for a limited time (the beloved stage and screen star joins the company only until the end of April). For those of you unfamiliar with Mischief’s extreme theatrical shenanigans, the madcap play at the Barrymore essentially expands upon the company’s distinct brand in its depiction of a fictitious production of “Peter Pan” that goes severely wayward.

Those of you who have seen The Play That Goes Wrong (which continues its successful run Off-Broadway at New World Stages) or any other of Mischief’s productions (I’ve also seen The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, which I thought was comic genius), you’ll pretty much get more of the same here, albeit on a larger, more elaborate scale – which is not necessarily a bad thing. Admittedly, Mischief’s tried and true formula may not fully satisfy those looking for more substance in their theatrical intake. Indeed, I really can’t argue that Peter Pan Goes Wrong is anything more than empty calories. But what visceral entertainment is to be had witnessing the increasingly precarious situations the actors – really, more like stunt performers – find themselves in!

Across the board, the ensemble cast give broad, often hilarious performances. They deliver physical comedy of the highest order, navigating the show’s detailed “choreography” to achieve a convincingly real sense of escalating mayhem. Kudos to director Adam Meggido for sustaining the illusion of one disaster after another. To be sure, the level of precision needed to pull the show off is impressive. For being a relatively last minute addition, Harris has seamlessly integrated himself into the show and does an excellent job of keeping up with his fellow company members beat by beat.

RECOMMENDED

PETER PAN GOES WRONG
Broadway, Play
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
2 hours, 10 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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