Peter Pan takes flight at Brancaccio

(ANSA) - Rome, November 16 - 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.