James and the Giant Peach

8/10

It's hard to say what the expectation was prior to entering the Gainesville Community Playhouse for James and the Giant Peach. The music was completely unknown and the story was reduced to a faded childhood memory. However, GCP and the Peach production team deserve a great deal of credit for creating an immersive and wonderful world that greets audiences at the door with an atrium full of beautiful whimsy. Nods to the show fill the space around the Box Office, with trinkets and show related snacks available in exchange for a suggested donation.

The care and love with which this show was created flows through every facet of Peach. The stage blends cartoonish elements with the overall sophistication of the wooden set. The combination of color and unique shape creates the titular peach, while also evoking the cozy and imaginative feel of a child's treehouse. The production design is an homage to the book and the 1996 claymation film, but does not rely solely on nostalgia to create atmosphere and joy. The costumes feel familiar, yet unique. The make-up feels life-like, yet harkens back to the scratchy pen strokes of the Quentin Blake illustrations.

Though the set and costumes provide the initial wow-factor, the actors do much of the heavy lifting in creating a heartfelt story of loss, trauma, and second chances at family. Oliver Xu, playing James, provides the emotional backbone of the story with a combination of excellent acting and impressive vocals. The innocence and wonder are evident through his movements and facial expressions as the magic unfolds right before his eyes.

The drama of Peach would not exist without the stellar performances of Sarah Prager and Sarah Searles, playing Spiker and Sponge respectively. Together, they create truly awful and unlikable characters as a foil to the beautiful bugs that accompany James on his journey. Their combined villainy was over-the-top and outlandish, but believable in the context of the show and helps the audience feel even more connected to James and his crew.

A review of Peach would not be complete without mention of the puppets. The early portions of the story rely on puppetry to portray the bugs before they are transformed by magic. Each puppet is operated by their respective actor and each one has a unique mechanism to create their realistic movements. The puppets are beautiful and fascinating, drawing the attention of the audience away from the actors and allowing the bugs themselves to be endearing even before their transformation. Ian Hales (the creator of the unforgettable Moose puppet from Evil Dead) and Andrea Young should be recognized for their ingenuity in bringing these characters to life.

Overall, this is a wonderful show that does not use family-friendly as an excuse for mediocrity. While there are weaknesses in every production, Peach succeeds in playing to its strengths and provides the audience with a whirlwind of fanciful fun. The show runs at the Gainesville Community Playhouse through December 21st and tickets can be purchased at gcplayhouse.org.