Flying nightly

LOOKING out of the window from my room on the 16th floor of the Royal Lancaster Hotel, I half expected to see Peter Pan fly past on his way to Neverland.

The panorama from this London hotel offers a stunning display of many of the capital’s most famous landmarks, as well as an aerial view over the largest of the royal parks, Hyde Park.

Big Ben, the Post Office Tower, the Gherkin, the London Eye and Battersea Power Station line the horizon, as the view below divides between city to the left and the park to the right, where horse riders, joggers and afternoon strollers can be glimpsed.

Some of those sights weren’t around when Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, visited the Darling household before taking Wendy and her brothers on a flying visit to Neverland.

But the London skyline looms into view later that evening in Kensington Gardens, where Peter Pan has taken up residence for the summer.

Of course, he always has a presence there in the bronze statue, showing him on a pedestral surrounded by squirels, rabbits , mice and fairies.

The statue , commissioned by Barrie, was erected secretly one night in 1912. The next morning, an announcement placed by him in The Times promised a “surprise in store for the children who go to Kensington Gardens to feed the ducks in the Serpentine”.

Barrie wasn’t entirely happy, as sculptor Sir George Frampton hadn’t based the figure on one of the Llewelyn Davies boys, as requested.

And questions were asked in the House of Commons about an author being permitted to promote his own work through a statue of one of his characters in a public park.

Now a flesh and blood Peter is flying nightly – and at matinees – in a new production of JM Barrie’s story, in a specially-commissioned, stateof- the-art theatre pavilion.

Thanks to the 360 degree, 3D projections and amazing flying sequences, it really does look like Peter and friends are flying through the skies over London.

The setting is particularly apt as this is Peter Pan’s spiritual home.

Barrie lived in 100 Bayswater Road, opposite Kensington Gardens where, in 1897, he first met the eldest of the three Llewelyn Davis boys while walking his dog, Porthos. He used to tell them stories and they inspired him to create his most famous book, Peter Pan.

Peter Pan first appeared in a novel, The Little White Bird. These chapters were later published separately, as Peter Pan In Kensington Gardens.

His best-known adventure debuted in December 1904, in the stage play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, with Nina Boucicault, in the title role. This was adapted and expanded as a novel, published in 1911 as Peter And Wendy, later as Peter Pan And Wendy, and then simply Peter Pan.

THERE have been many incarnations of Peter on stage and film, but this latest finds him coming home for the first time to the place in which he was created.

The production is housed in the Neverland Pavilion, with Bill Dudley’s designs inspired by the geography of the gardens, and allowing the audience to be totally surrounded by Neverland.

Production, park setting and the 100 per cent rain-proof pavilion itself – a very superior series of big tops – make this Peter Pan a summer event for all ages, reflected in the refreshment area, where both champagne and pick-and-mix are on offer.

Without a doubt, Dudley’s dazzling designs are the real stars of the production, along with the aerial sequences, as actors fly through the air with the greatest of ease. There’s none of the clunky acrobatics usually seen in performances of the play.

Tanya Ronder’s adaptation combines lines directly from the published Barrie version and those with a more contemporary tone. Her script made me think about the bizarre psychological implications of Barrie’s story. The themes of childhood, father-son relationships and getting old are all explored in the guise of a play for children.

High-flier Ciaran Kellgren brings out the spoiled child in Peter, just as likely to stamp his foot at not getting his own way, as to enjoy the delights of his free-as-air life. Jonathan Hyde’s Captain Hook thankfully avoids being a pantomime villain, opting for a more measured, realistic approach.

From Neverland, it’s but a short walk back to the four-star Royal Lancaster, whose 416 guest rooms and 16 conference rooms are spread over 18 floors, making it one of the tallest and most notable buildings in the area.

A big draw is the range of attractions just a few minutes’ walk away, although, as the hotel is situated by Lancaster Gate Underground station, other means of transport are to hand for longer trips.

The hotel is Thai-owned, accounting for its Nipa restaurant, sister to the restaurant of the same name in the Landmark Hotel, Bangkok.

Opened in 1995, it features a teakpanelled interior and traditional Thai furnishings and ornaments.

This contrasts with the more modern Island restaurant and bar, with views across Hyde Park’s Italian Gardens through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Both hotel and production make this a summer treat. As Peter Pan would say, an awfully big adventure.

PETER PAN SPECIAL AT ROYAL LANCASTER HOTEL

The Peter Pan Special dinner and accommodation includes an overnight stay in a superior room for two people, including continental breakfast and a two-course pre-theatre dinner in either of the hotel’s restaurants, Nipa or Island.

The package costs £185, including VAT and subject to availability. Valid from Friday to Sunday until August 30.

Reservations on 0207-262-6110 or visit royallancaster.com Please quote Peter Pan Special.