Musical Theatre / Peter and the Starcatcher. At The Playhouse until October 27. Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS. 

If you have ever lay awake at night wondering about the origins of the character Peter Pan, then Peter and the Starcatcher could be a cure for your insomnia. Then again, it could just add to it.

This spectacular Dead Puppet Society production is overflowing with amazing characters including a fighting prawn, a scotch salmon turned mermaid, shipwrecked Italian chefs and a chorus line of singing/dancing mermaids who provide just one of many highlights of this production. 

How they feature in the transformation of orphan boy (Otis Dhanji) who together with his two mates Prentiss (Morgan Francis) and Ted (Benjin Maza) find themselves unwittingly imprisoned on a ship called Neverland, under the command of brutal Captain Slank (Paul Capsis, delighting with a thousand expressions, who also doubles as Hawking Clam on the Wasp), is something you need to see for yourself to find out. 

Also, on board the Neverland is Lord Leonard Aster (confusingly but expertly portrayed by Alison Whyte) and his daughter, Molly Aster (a vivacious and surprisingly athletic Olivia Deeble) who befriends the three orphans; together with her nanny Mrs Bumbrake (former Canberra actor, Lucy Goleby). 

The Neverland is pursued by another ship, the Wasp, captained by the dastardly Black Stache (Colin Lane, hilariously stealing the show at every opportunity) and henchman, Smee (a bemused and bewildered Peter Hellier) intent on stealing a trunk full of a magical substance called starstuff. 

Molly’s father has been captured by Black Stache, who does not know that the trunk of starstuff has been switched.

Yes, it is complicated and gloriously silly and gets even sillier in Monty Pythonesque style, as the storyline pursues evermore outrageous and unlikely situations demanding all common sense be abandoned.

A beautiful fairytale setting by director David Morton is complemented by Ann Cordingley’s fanciful costumes and the magical lighting design by Ben Hughes. 

Onstage musicians under the musical direction of James Dobinson join in the fun being whisked around the stage inhabited by astonishing puppets, which include the most magical crocodile ever. 

Despite a long series of previews, it was hard to escape the impression that in this meticulously rehearsed and delightfully entertaining production that some of the large cast had still to discover the correct dynamic level for some of their characterisations, especially Otis Dhanji as the orphan boy whose strongly physical interpretation might be more effective if calmed down to express more wonder from the boy at the events surrounding him.