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Peer Reviews

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Reviewed by Craig Nolan Highley

Entire contents are copyright © 2009, Craig Nolan Highley. All rights reserved.

When I signed up to review Derby Dinner's current children’s production The Tale of Peter Rabbit, it had been my intention to bring my young nephew with me in order to get a child's perspective. As immature as most of my friends consider me, I am well aware I am not the target audience of this production.

Unfortunately, a last-minute cancellation left me watching this kiddie show all by my lonesome. Adding insult to injury, I was seated by myself at a table at the highest elevation in the room, in full view of all the other patrons. As you can imagine, an adult male sitting alone amongst a lot of families with children drew more than a few suspicious glances.

So I sat in silence waiting for the show to start with nothing to occupy my time. I sent a couple of text messages with my camera phone, but stopped when I noticed the lady across from me kept giving me the stink eye (I think she believed I was taking pictures of her children). I tried to ignore all the sparkly bunny ears that surrounded me (they were for sale in the gift shop so the whole auditorium looked like the Tiny Toons version of the Playboy Mansion). I cringed when Bill Hanna walked by in his annoying "Bravo The Star" persona and breathed a deep sigh of relief when the show finally started.

Beatrix Potter's short tale of a little rabbit who disobeys his mother and goes into the forbidden Mr. McGregor's garden doesn't have a whole lot of story to begin with. Derby Dinner's house playwrights and songsmiths have done an impressive job of stretching it out to an hour's length.

Hanna drops the "Bravo" character after a (thankfully) brief introduction and steps into the title role; as Peter Rabbit he is very funny and endearing. J. R. Stuart is a hoot as Mr. McGregor and in a second role as a helpful field mouse, while Janet Essenpreis shines as Peter's mother and also as a bird and a cat.

The songs are occasionally very catchy but generally just seem to be there to pad out the run time. The script is lively and doesn't talk down to its young audience (as I have seen happen in previous Derby Dinner children's shows).

I have to say that in spite of the ill mood I started out in, ultimately I enjoyed myself. And judging by the reaction from the "target audience" that surrounded me, the show succeeded in just what it set out to do.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Adapted from the story by Beatrix Potter
Derby Dinner Playhouse
525 Marriott Drive
Clarksville, IN 47129
(812) 288-8281

http://derbydinner.com/

February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 2009

Posted February 24, 2009