JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, adapted from the Roald Dahl book by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Timothy Allen McDonald (Young Peoples Theatre, 165 Front East). Runs to January 4 see youngpeoplestheatre.ca for schedule. $29-$49. 416-862-2222. Rating: NNNN
If you look up at the roof of Young Peoples Theatre these days, youll see an enormous inflated peach.
The oversized fruit is not only a plug for the companys holiday show, James And The Giant Peach, but also a symbol of the great big production with an equally sizeable heart.
Adapted from the classic childrens story by Roald Dahl, this musical version (book by Timothy Allen McDonald, songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) includes amongst its characters five oversize insects, two nasty aunts and the title figure, a boy whos treated by his disdainful family not unlike Harry Potter before the young wizard goes off to Hogwarts.
James (Alessandro Costantini) finds himself in an orphanage after his parents suffer death by rhino, only to be rescued by his remaining relatives, the tall Spiker (Nicole Robert) and the short Sponge (Karen Wood). Making James their slave, they ask him to get rid of a buggy peach tree, but with the help of a mysterious man he accidentally casts a magical spell on it, creating the giant peach and turning the insects, whom we initially meet as puppets, into large-scale creatures.
The story is a wonderful piece of fantasy that has the peach, insects and James, pursued by the aunts (whose financial future depends on the peach), first floating on the ocean and then flying to New York City, where the peach gets stuck on the Empire State Building.
Making fine use of Yannik Larivees splendid set an impressive, huge cutaway of a peach and various sections of the fruit, including its stem director Sue Miner and her energetic cast give appealing life to Dahls characters.
Wood and Robert, who could be cousins to Cinderellas condescending stepmother, are equally nasty and laughable villains of the music-hall variety, and Costantini radiates childlike excitement and optimism as James grows comfortable with his family of choice.
The insects Ladybug (Lana Carillo), Spider (Saccha Dennis), Earthworm (Jacob MacInnis), Centipede (Dale Miller) and Grasshopper (Stewart Adam McKensy), inventively costumed by Robin Fisher are pretty entertaining, too. Youll love MacInnis as the androgynous, scaredy-cat Earthworm who finds his confidence when he delivers Plump And Juicy, a show-stopping number in which hes offered as bait to a flock of seagulls.
There are a few slow spots, including an opening scene that fails to engage the audience and some songs that are no more than generic, but Miner captures the tales fun and warmth while making a point about the importance of loyalty and family.
