The Dread Pirate Noodles

Friday night we went to see our niece Alma in Peter Pan. She played the role of Noodles, one of Capt. Hook's pirates. It was a supporting role, which she filled with energy, humor, and intensity, without detracting from the ensemble. The show as a whole was very entertaining, and very well staged.

There were inevitably parts of the show I enjoyed less; it is an aging show which the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts school had re-worked. I found the ballad "Neverland" to be tedious and insipid. On the other hand, the PVPA cast performed a great dance number in place of the awful "Ugg-A-Wugg."

Despite any ups or downs, the real star of the show was the power of theater. We went to the play to admire Alma, but no matter who was on stage my attention kept returning to the plot. I would see Alma creep in from the left in self-mocking dangerous pirate fashion, and then be drawn back to Hook's next over-the-top song ("Who's the swiniest swine in the world? ... Captain Hook, Captain Hook!). I would feel that a musical number was lagging, and then forget my concern as Wendy slumped to the ground, shot by a toy arrow. I admired the magnificent sets, and then they disappeared for me when Peter Pan was captured by the pirates. My thoughts drifted to the drive to New Hampshire still awaiting us after the play, and then my attention returned to Peter Pan's confusion and sorrow when he came the second time to Wendy's room and found her "grown up."

Some of the "magic" in the theater is what the company creates. But some of the magic is going on in our brains. We very much want to engage in the plot, and no matter what else is going on (from wonderful nieces to awkward stage moments) we are ready to jump on the plot's roller-coaster and hang on. It's almost always a great ride for me.