The bedtime stories are finished, children snug their beds, the window is left ajar to catch the breeze alive in the nighttime air, and Mrs. Darling softly blows out the candle and leaves the silent room. An adventure is born. South River Theater Company’s production of “Peter Pan” sprinkles some pixie dust and invites you along!

“Peter Pan”, originating as a play written in 1904 by J.M Barrie, serves as a pillar for the universal importance of parental love and freedom of childhood imagination. With an air of whimsical silliness and memorable characters, the timeless tale has sparked adaptation into a musical, television special, and several films. The characters, embraced by pop culture, have evolved into iconic symbols of fun and magic cherished by children since its creation. Inhabiting the fanciful isle of Never Land is Captain Hook and his goofy scoundrels, the Picaninnies and their haughty princess Tiger Lily, the rollicking Lost Boys and their beloved leader, the legendary Peter Pan. Pan is the epitome of fearlessness and spirit. Harboring fairytales, he happens upon the spunky tale-spinning Wendy and her brothers Michael and John, and cannot resist flying them away to Never Land in search of adventure.

The artistic decisions of South River Theater Company were phenomenal, leaving the audience spellbound. Employing original composition and vocals, executed delightfully with sonorous harmonies, and reinventing the character Tinker Bell (Neha Chawla) to replace the generic twinkling and ringing with sassy grunts and squawks to illustrate the churlish nature of the fairy were nothing short of awe-invoking and in Tink’s case, hilarious.

Each character in “Peter Pan” has an idiosyncratic persona, demonstrated artfully by South River’s cast. A slight oddity of the play is that Pan himself is unchanging, static. In this role, David Ossman was not limited by this aspect in any fashion. Capturing sensationally the perpetually bullheaded, spritely, somewhat clueless icon of childhood, Ossman delivered a meritorious performance. Alix Gilbert (Story Teller), a sure standout with exceptional talent, held unmatchable enthusiasm throughout her performance. Conor Reinold (Captain Hook) enlivened the kooky swashbuckler to a delightful extent; with a peppering of puns and side-splitting portrayal of the character’s solitary foible—his chronic phobia of the crocodile who swallowed his arm—Reinold proved to be a valuable component of the cast.

The Darling children (Maria Osborn, Eric Stevens, Ryan Howe) stayed true to their name—charming and undoubtedly darling. Their buoyant chemistry as squabbling siblings prompted smiles on audience members’ faces. The Lost Boys’ boundless energy and earnest craving for adventure emphasized the blithe nature of the play.

A notable aspect of tech lay in the claws of the massive crocodile, complete with gleaming eyes and fully-functioning movement. The indisputable intricacy showcased the sheer doggedness of South River’s tech crew.

It takes a poof of pixie dust, a few happy thoughts, and a big jump! Before you know it, you’ll be flying over to South River High School to enjoy the magic of “Peter Pan.”