Peter Pan

Oh, the memories connected to this wonderful musical and the fabulous Mary Martin and Cyril Richard! I watched it every time it came on TV from when it first came out; I still have the original vinyl recording of the show. I still know every single song. And seeing Peter lift off and fly is still heart-stopping more than 60 years later.

I remember seeing this production on TV when I was a 5 year old child, and being totally mesmerized by it. Mary Martin became my heroine, favorite performer and favorite singer. The production was broadcast almost yearly after that and I couldn't wait to watch it agin! Thanks to the technology to put the original recording onto DVD, I'll now get watch it whenever I wish and sing along with the songs I love! And never was there a better Captain Hook than Cyril Richard, who was also my favorite narrator for Peter and the Wolf! Nobody's evil laugh has ever bettered his!

They were, of course, doing Peter Pan on stage for years before this hit the small screen, but this was the version that was seen by the masses. More than the performance itself, I remember the rave reviews given to Ms. Martin for decades afterwards.

The two most memorable scenes for me (as a very young boy) were the bedroom with the huge windows and the fire-breathing alligator on wheels. If I did need to jump out a window to fly, that's the kind I would want. And although it was scary (I had trouble recognizing it as an alligator), if you are going to fight an alligator, a wooden one on wheels is probably preferable.

I'm very surprised to be the first reviewer. This show was famous and highly praised.

There is no way for me to be objective about this production. It was the very beginning of musicals and magic for a very tiny girl. It is a scratchy black and white print of a miracle. Watch it and be transported to once upon a time and long ago.