SWEET SHOW: Last night, on kind of short notice, we went to see "Finding Neverland" at the Paramount theater in Seattle.
We knew next to nothing going in, other than it was about the author of "Peter Pan," J.M. Barrie. In about two hours we learned a lot about Barrie, and came home and read a whole lot more.
I'll let CJ tell you more about the play. ...
Occasionally, my family visits the Paramount Theatre, a historic theater located in downtown Seattle. We usually visit to attend live plays, and this time, we attended the final Seattle performance of Finding Neverland (the last performance on the last day).
According to the program distributed at the event, Finding Neverland tells the true story of playwright J.M. Barrie, who befriends a widow (Sylvia Davies) and her four young sons (Jack, George, Michael, and Peter), and, through those friendships, finds the inspiration and courage to become the writer - and the man - he longs to be.
In the real world, J.M. Barrie is most well known as the author of Peter Pan, a legendary story, adapted into countless forms, about a boy named Peter Pan who lives in Neverland, a magical place where children never grow up. On a darker note, Barrie conceived of Neverland when his older brother, David, died in an ice skating accident. J.M. Barrie imagined Neverland as a place where David could live an idyllic afterlife where he never grew up.
Throughout Finding Neverland, J.M. Barrie entertains the imaginations of Davies' children by playing pretend with them (less creepy than it sounds), helping re-spark a sense of joy in Peter, the namesake of Peter Pan and the oldest son of Ms. Davies.
Late before the premiere of the Peter Pan play, Ms. Davies suddenly begins suffering from a "chest cold" (a euphemism for a cancer in the chest), creating a foregone conclusion where her children are going to be orphaned. Barrie promised to Ms. Davies that he would take care of her children, and she managed to see the debut of Peter Pan's play, alongside her children.
Finding Neverland, in contrast to the last stage play I reviewed (George Takei's Allegiance), has very good choreography and music. The visual effects, physical and digital, are beautiful, even when you are sitting hundreds of feet away from the stage. Nearly every actor delivered an excellent performance, getting (me at least) wrapped in and interested.
Finding Neverland is a fantastic theatrical production, but I am curious of how historically accurate it is.
And here is Annabelle's summary. ...
Finding Neverland is a play about the life of J.M. Barrie and how he made friends with a widow and her 4 boys , found inspiration for Peter Pan. It all starts on a sunny day in London, where Barrie meets Peter, George, Jack, and Michael when they attempt to make him walk the plank off the bench. He meets them time and time again, and learns to play again, like he did as a child. He brings this to the theatre and is initially shooed away, but eventually they see the spirit in “playing” and the show is Barrie’s most successful yet! The story really shows how, even in hard times, a little fun can make a big difference. Life doesn’t have to be elegant and serious all the time, as was believed back when the play is set. The play is really beautiful, and the music is great. Fair warning, though- as this is a musical, there is a lot of singing and it can be a bit hard to understand at times. Luckily, there was an open captioning board in the corner to help deaf or hearing-impaired people enjoy the play just the same. I loved the play and would highly recommend it. It can be sad at times, but it really sends the message that a little fun isn’t all hat bad.My impressions of the musical? I thought it was lovely. I don't know that I've ever seen a more beautifully staged touring production. The lighting and simple but striking sets were terrific. And the choreography ... this wasn't a big ol' dance number show, but within the first two minutes of the production, I was struck by the thoughtful, artistic movements of the people on the stage. After the show, at home, reading Mia Michaels was the choreographer explained that. I know her work from "So You Think You Can Dance," and she is phenomenal.
I left the show wanting to read biographies about Barrie. I think that's a good sign. Leave the people wanting more!
AD ASTRA, ASTRONAUT: Super sad news today. Astronaut Gene Cernan, the last human to walk on our moon, has departed Earth.
Several years back, we went to the San Diego Air and Space Museum during a special exhibit several years ago. There was a wall with this graphic and quote. I took a photo (below). For whatever reason, it actually made me tear up on the spot.
Awhile back, we watched a biopic movie about Cernan. "The Last Man on the Moon." It's a compelling portrait, and highly recommended. https://vimeo.com/92046183
REVEREND KING: Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day. Now, as much, if not more, than ever, his words ring true.
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