Peter and the Wolf

Peter and the Wolf<

Sergey Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf is 73 years old, but because its spirit is forever young, the show is a perennial favorite of children’s theater. Kids thrill to the story of a fearless boy who recklessly (but successfully) ensnares a wolf with help from his animal friends, and adults swoon to the Russian master’s gorgeous swells. Anyone familiar with the tale will instantly recognize the second act in the New Victory Theater's current balletic production, which appears courtesy of the In the Wings theater company. It's the first act, which details how Peter met his pals, that invites audiences on a new adventure.  

The folks at the London-based troupe obtained permission from Prokofiev’s estate to mount their prequel. Unfortunately, while the signature characters are present—the Cat, the Duck, the Bird, the boy—the music, by Philip Feeney, is serviceable, not inspired, and British stage great Brian Blessed’s narration is, at times, needlessly bombastic. The dancing, however, makes up for these shortcomings. The cast is extremely strong, with every single performer, except for Peter (the mischievous Maurizio Montis) and the Wolf (Paul Rooney, subbing for an injured Marco Chiodo at the performance attended), playing multiple parts. Christian Celini, as Peter’s bumbling chum and the goofy Duck, and Eva Grieco, as a preening schoolgirl as well as the Bird, stand out in a troupe where there are no weak links or, more precisely, limbs. Their performances help capture your imagination as surely as the Wolf in Peter’s net.—Raven Snook

Peter and the Wolf plays through Nov 29 at the New Victory Theater. Tickets: $12.50–$35

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