Broadway Musical: Finding Neverland

Finding Neverland Musical
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
205 West 46th Street

This happened yesterday evening! My friend who was invited by her friend, invited me to see this musical. (Thanks Yiqi.)

At the beginning of the show, Barrie, a playwright (and a man who doesn’t want to grow up) tries to brainstorm ideas for a play to save his career. He suffers from writer’s block until he encounters four young boys  (George, Michael, Jack and Peter) in Kensington Gardens. Barrie runs along with their games and joins in on their little escapades.

They have a mother, a widow, by the name of Sylvia (yes, that’s my name also) who is an inner child. Barrie and Sylvia gravitate towards each other rather quickly. Barrie is a married man- married to a socialite, Mary. They grow more distant as Barrie and Sylvia spend more time together. Sylvia’s mother disapproves of the relationship growing between Barrie and Sylvia as Barrie is a married man and this would ruin her daughter’s reputation as well as her chances of remarrying (Sylvia’s husband died a year ago).

Shortly after, there is a dramatic scene where pirate Captain Hook appears. He says he’s Barrie’s dark side and tells Barrie to unleash him. Barrie tears open his shirt and sings boldly and loudly.  Later, he kisses Sylvia to which the audience all mumbled “finally”.

Barrie draws inspiration after encountering Sylvia and her four sons. With spending time and playing with them, it influences Barrie to conjure up this magical world of Neverland. Barrie spends time with the boys in telling them tales to inspiring them to continue using their imaginations. Barrie, a man who doesn’t want to grow up writes a story about a boy, Peter Pan, who never does.

The actors’ voices to their graceful yet firm movements to the dance act between Barrie and Sylvia resembling that of Titanic, my emotions were kind of all over the place. I thought about life. About my childhood. Rest assured, I had a tear or two come out. It was a captivating and moving musical. I originally got scared it was going to be a musical without a story-line, but this wasn’t the case.

“When Your Feet Don’t Touch the Ground” was definitely one of my favorite songs:

(BARRIE)
When did life become so complicated?
Years of too much thought and time I wasted
And in each line upon my face
Is a proof I fought and lived another day

When did life become this place of madness?
Drifting on an empty sea of waves of sadness
I make believe I’m in control
And dream it wasn’t all my fault

When your feet don’t touch the ground
When your world’s turned upside down
Here it’s safe
In this place
Above the clouds

When your feet don’t touch the earth
You can’t feel the things that hurt
And you’re free
There’s no need to come down

(PETER)
Everyday just feels a little longer
Why am I the only one not getting stronger?
Running ’round pretending life’s a play
It doesn’t make the darkness go away

I may be young but I can still remember
Feeling full of joy, crying tears of laughter
Now all my tears are all cried out
Make believe, but count me out

‘Cause my feet are on the ground
And the inner voice I found
Tells the truth
And there’s no use
If your head’s in the clouds

(BARRIE)
I was once like you
Life was a maze
I couldn’t find my way out

But what I say is true
You’ll be amazed
Make believe and you will find out that it’s true

(PETER)
I know what is true

(BARRIE + PETER)
When your feet don’t touch the ground
(When your feet touch the ground)
And your voice won’t make a sound
(Your voice makes a sound)

Here it’s safe
(It tells the truth)
In this place above the clouds
(There’s no use for clouds)

When your feet don’t touch the earth
(When your feet touch the earth)
You can’t feel the things that hurt
(You can feel the things that hurt)
And you’re free
There’s no need to come down
(And I am fine as long as I am down)

When your feet don’t touch the ground
(When yourfeet touch the ground)
When your feet don’t touch the ground
(… Touch the ground)

_
Moral? Find your inner child. Reconnect with your inner child and let it roam free and explore. When you believe, anything can happen, right? (In this case, flying.) Beautiful things happen when you believe yourself. Surround yourself with people who support you and allow you to be who you are, all that you are.

Imagination is so powerful, isn’t it? We all grow old, but we don’t really HAVE TO grow up.