The family musical Peter Pan,
based on the beloved children's story by J.M. Barrie of the boy
who never wanted to grow up, debuted at Rome's Brancaccio
Theatre on Tuesday.
This version, which runs through December 11, is directed by
actor and comic Maurizio Colombi.
The heart of any musical is its soundtrack, and the
collection of songs for this production comes from Italian
singer-songwriter Edoardo Bennato, whose 1978 album 'Sono Solo
Canzonette' was based on the story of Peter Pan.
The debut performance was a mix of lightheartedness, colors
and 'stardust', with an audience of all ages that
enthusiastically received the timeless musical that first
premiered in 1954 in San Francisco.
In one minor glitch during the show - technical difficulties
being a familiar risk of opening nights - Peter Pan's second
'flight' didn't work as planned.
The system of pulleys malfunctioned, bringing the actor
playing Pan in for a landing among audience members.
Although the mishap caused a bit of a shock, no one was
harmed, and as the saying goes, the show went on.
The show's star is 30-year-old stage actor and dancer Giorgio
Camandona, who has previously performed in productions of
Grease, Pinocchio, and The Jungle Book, in the title role.
Actor Pietro Pignatello, born in Naples in 1971, plays the
co-starring role of Captain Hook.
Also notable among the cast are Martha Rossi in the role of
Wendy and Mimmo Chianese as Hook's trusty assistant Mr. Smee.
Managing a cast of 20 performers on stage, director Colombi
brings the audience right into the tale, accompanied by some of
the greatest hits from Bennato's 1978 album, rearranged
specifically for the show.
A host of special effects add to the show's magic, as well as
the familiar band of characters from the story, ranging from the
pirates to the Lost Children as well as Tigerlily and the
crocodile, not to mention the iconic glowing face of Tinkerbell
the fairy, all of whom remind the audience that there's nothing
as real as fantasy.
The show is a joint production of NewStep, Viola Productions
and Show Bees.
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