Finding Neverland at Reboot Theater
Reboot’s production of Peter and the Starcatcher, at Theater off Jackson, is rollicking gay fun.
It’s got pirates, (gay pirates) a disco ball on theceiling, and a flying cat, all on a ship.
It is filled with references that are warmly recognized by the audience like the appearance
of a Yugioh duel disk and Dungeons and Dragons. The set
pulls you in with one glance at the pink gamer chair in its center.
Reboot’s Peter and the Starcatcher pays homage to the original script while being accessible;
those who never read Peter and the Starcatcher but who did watch Disney’s Peter Pan will be
delighted to hear about Peter Pan’s backstory and the connection between Peter, Wendy, and
Wendy’s mother Molly. Meanwhile, those who did read Peter and Starcatcher will be intrigued
by the implication of Molly’s female kin living in 2023, which allows this reimagination to pay
forward the original play’s theme of never growing up and the magical connection between
Peter Pan and Molly’s matriline.
In Peter and the Starcatcher, Molly finds herself on a mission to protect starstuff –which allows
someone to be anything they want and fly– from the infamous pirate Black Stache. She meets
three orphans: Prentiss, Ted, and a no-name loner (later named Peter Pan, maybe you’ve
heard of him) who piques her curiosity. Throughout the play the orphans are made into brave
boys by Molly’s motherly nature.
The themes of the queer love and gender euphoria in Peter and the Starcatcher are achieved
by the play’s casting. Peter, whose greatest wish is to experience the boyhood he was denied in
the orphanage, is played by a trans man. Therefore, Peter’s transition from having no
identity to experiencing the boyhood he’s always wished for is implied to be a gender
transition.The rest of the cast receives the same treatment. Per usual, the pronouns from the
original play remain unchanged, but seeing male characters being played by feminine actors
makes this play a huge queer double entendre.
A notable part of the play is its deft manipulation of the set. With minimal set changes, the set is
three places: the Neverland ship, the Wasp ship, and the bedroom of Molly’s female kin in 2023.
The cast play both ship crews in an easy to understand way and the stage direction and lighting
is executed with thrilling misdirection that keeps the anticipation alive. The use of the theater
space is dynamic and allows for imaginative depictions of scenes that really work. For instance,
in an underwater scene, the lighting is blue and the set props are moved around by the cast in
an undulating way, as if it were being carried by water.
Another notable part of the play is its self-awareness towards colonialism. A majority of the
characters are British, and this is acknowledged in a variety of silly ways, like the whole cast
chiming in with “God save her!” every time Queen Victoria is mentioned. There are also lines
that acknowledge Britain as colonialist, especially in the second act where the characters find
themselves stranded on a foreign island where its indigenous inhabitants do not welcome their
presence. This is also treated with a light and comedic hand, but the message is loud and
clear.
All the characters are whimsical and memorable, but there is a special chemistry between Mrs.
Bumbreak and Alf. The two are the play’s unexpected couple, and while the two seem quite
different, the pair just works. They are silly and romantic and a little bit gross, what couple isn’t?
When the two are together, the performance of Kendra Tamar Budd (Mrs. BumBreak) and
Helene Minassian (Alf) shine. It would be a travesty to forget the performance of Karin Terry
(Black Stache) who acts with passion and is responsible for a good portion of the queer energy
on set with their boisterous attitude and movement.
Many people would find Peter and the Starcatcher enjoyable. Between those who watched
Disney’s Peter Pan as a child and those who like queer pirates, that makes up a big population.
It’s a show that you won’t get tired of, whether you see it once or twice. There’s many call-outs
that returning audience members can use to impress their companions with their gay theater
knowledge. Overall, Peter and the Starcatcher is a whimsical and feel-good play that gets the
audience roaring.
Peter and the Starcatcher Reboot Theatre, Theatre off Jackson. 409-7th Ave Seattle, 98104. Corner of 7th Ave and Jackson. (Chinatown-International District) Thu-Sat 7:30 pm. Sat & Sun 2 pm. til Sept. 23. Almost no street parking. Light Rail-International District stop.
Tickets: https://reboot.booktix.com/
N.B. Some performances are Mask Mandatory, check reboot.booktix.com