Second Star to the Right, and Straight On ’Til ‘Shadowplay’ (The NoPro Review)
Ticking Clock Theatre takes us deep into author J.M. Barrie’s mind
As I see it, immersive theatre law seems to dictate that any show that serves hot tea is destined for success. Be it the Mad Tea Party fare of Then She Fell or the carefully-poured cups served in the darker corners of Sleep No More, tea appears, for whatever reason, to be a good omen that accompanies a truly enchanting experience. As I was welcomed into Shadowplay on a chilly weekday evening, I was presented with a tray of tea and cookies by a hospitable couple of house servants. Clutching my teacup, I thought of my previous experiences in a similar situation, and the warm and wonderful worlds that typically accompanied such a moment. Would this ceremonial drink accompany a successful night for Shadowplay, as well? (Spoiler: by the end of the show, I was happy to confirm that it had.)
It would be a mistake to call Shadowplay a piece “about” Peter Pan. Though Peter plays an important role, more than anything Shadowplay is about his creator, J.M. Barrie. It digs into the real-life tragedies that shaped the Neverland story in Barrie’s mind, and explores the ways in which the author’s traumas are reflected in his best-known work. I found this to be an exciting choice; though the story of Peter Pan could quite easily be adapted into the immersive space (and has been, multiple times before), this makes it, in a way, low-hanging fruit. It is easy to make Neverland feel magical. Peter Pan is a story that everyone knows and can easily follow, but a reflection of Barrie’s tragedies and meditations on life and death, as seen through the eyes of his characters, is a much more original approach. Shadowplay leaves the audience with cause for deeper reflection and new knowledge about the author that isn’t commonly known. I left wanting to know Barrie more deeply, and I say this because I am someone who, even before Shadowplay, would have claimed to know Barrie’s life story well.
I’ll be honest here: there are few myths more beloved to me than that of Peter Pan. The story was treated as a sacred text in my household growing up, and to this day, I have never believed in something more than the magic of Neverland. Countless times, my mother and I told and retold the stories to ourselves and each other; she, recounting memories of leaving letters on her windowsill for Pan as a child. I, marking my own windowsill with fabric to help the same boy find me. I don’t know if this reverence made me an easier or harder sell for Shadowplay. On one hand, I was intensely aware of my desire to see the story done justice, and critical of attempts to rework the text and create something new from it. On the other hand, I came in believing in Peter Pan, and wanting to believe in Shadowplay.
The butterflies in my stomach when I first spotted the Shadow characters were the first sign that my hope was not misplaced. Cleverly, in addition to the typical cast of Barrie, Pan, Captain Hook, and so on, Shadowplay also made the choice to employ the use of not only Peter Pan’s shadow as a character (as in the original Peter Pan text), but Wendy and Barrie’s shadows, as well. They seemed to appear out of nowhere as I drank down the dregs of my tea and placed the cup back on its tray. When my eyes turned back to where they had previously been gazing, three spectral figures, cloaked completely in black had appeared, soundlessly, in a spot that had been empty mere seconds prior. It felt like magic. Perhaps, it was.
That being said, it was clear that Shadowplay had not had much rehearsal time when I attended. In particular, the moments in which the cast was not supported by a script and left instead to improv felt a little weak. The show suffered from an issue seen in quite often in immersive theatre: the first fifteen minutes relied on improv and sandbox exploration in a one-room space, packed with the entire audience and the majority of the show’s characters. There was a directionless mingling, as the audience tried to make their way through the “Neverland” space. We bounced between character-led vignettes operating independently from each other, wondering if this was all that would happen for the duration of the night (previous attendees of 2017’s Seeing You might especially recognize this feeling). There were moments when it was obvious that the actors were fighting (quite valiantly) to build a story and create energy and excitement where there was none, and the audience was left to question what they should do next. I point this out for one reason only: to implore that you don’t make your mind up about Shadowplay based on its first fifteen minutes.
Despite the underdeveloped beginning, Shadowplay quickly reoriented itself into a richer and more fulfilling experience. The story of Barrie that followed was well-developed, and communicated in a way that was effective but not melodramatic. Even the historically flamboyant character of Captain Hook was written in a refined and balanced way, with the script treading the right line between simplicity and originality. Despite the sandbox structure seen at the start of the performance, Shadowplay switches into a “dark ride” mode as audience members are split up into tracks and sent to multiple other rooms and nicely-developed spaces. The tracking and timing throughout the space was well-rehearsed, and mechanically, everything seemed to flow exceptionally well. Any immersive creator knows that timing multiple tracks of a story in a multi-room space can be one of the trickiest parts of performing this type of piece, so the seemingly flawless timing of each entrance, exit, and cue was incredibly impressive. Even more importantly, I left curious about the other story tracks and wanting to come back. Between this and some skillful fight choreography, I felt compelled to forgive the more unrefined moments.
The true magic of Shadowplay, however, did not come from its timing, story, or script. It came from its actors. The entire cast was exemplary, without a weak performance in the bunch. Each actor bubbled with the excitement of a child and the joy of a person doing exactly what they love to do most. It was a delight to watch them play, creating Neverland out of pillow forts and face paint and repurposed furniture. The spirit of Peter Pan lived in these moments of imagination and unbridled passion. Rightfully, the character of Peter Pan stole the show time and again, portrayed by Scout Backus with just the right amount of bad manners and cheeky confidence. Perhaps less expected was the powerful impact of the character Jane, known only briefly in the original Peter Pan text as Wendy’s daughter, appearing towards the end of the story. In Shadowplay, however, Jane is impossible to ignore, due fully to the effervescent and borderline unreal performance given by Libby Hatfield. On the villainous side of things, Connor Delves’ portrayal of Captain Hook was a perfect example of the raw but passionate energy filling the show. Were all of his choices refined, polished, or kind to the set? No. Were they honest, passionate, and believable? Absolutely. In general, that sort of spirit created the magic found in Shadowplay.
I have absolute confidence that any kinks to be found in Shadowplay will shake out with time, as the cast gets to live with and grow the piece. Between the emotionally moving script and overflowing amount of heart in the performances, the memory of Barrie is in good hands. Besides, when has Peter Pan ever been about perfection? That’s the stuff of grown-ups. Where I found cracks in this homegrown work, the spirits of a cast who loves immersive art shone through. And that’s the show’s real joy — the kind of make-believe that is found in Neverland itself.
Shadowplay continues its run at the Access Theater in lower Manhattan through December 16. Tickets are $45 — 85.
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