Theatre Review: Peter Who? Gives Spiderman A Silly Spin At NYMF
The New York Musical Festival has swept through Theatre Row, and it has brought the Spiderman parody musical you never knew you needed, but will certainly enjoy. Similar to the humor of Airplane or even NBC’s Trial & Error, Peter Who? is silly, positive, and one for the family. Directed by John Treacy Egan and Justin Moran, the latter working on book and lyrics with Jon Roufaeal, Peter Who? is an 80 minute love-fest with Peter Parker’s struggles to feel cool.
Let us not forget that we love Spiderman, the teenaged superhero, because he is the kindest heart to get bullied. People are enraptured by characters that overcome their insecurities and hardships to be good because, frankly, we know that is not easy. In Peter Who? Parker struggles to get the girl (the witty Justine Magnusson as Gwen Stacy), does not pick up when another girl likes him (the hilarious Zoe Farmingdale as Betty Brant), and does not know how to talk to his Aunt May (played by the scene-stealing Robin Rothman Taylor). Frankly, Peter Parker (played with a warm, lightheartedness by Travis Nilan) is surrounded by “female woes”, and his own gnawing, relatable insecurity that he will never be visible, despite being a superhero.
While Spiderman, in full costume and action, does not appear till the latter end of the musical, you are so wrapped in its funny songs and the high energy performance of Peter Who’s cast that seeing the web-slinger feels like an added bonus. Of course, parents brought their children, and though there was nothing distasteful or too adult for the kiddos, Peter Who? feels like a musical for adults’ inner children. As I said, silly might be the way to describe the writing and comedic timing of this musical, but it is so delicious at being outlandish and innocent. From T.J Mannix’s Ben singing into a fan to Jon Roufaeal playing Kent Holbrook, the faved, news reporter dreaming of getting an Emmy and a divorce, you have a laundry list of characters and songs, like “Chipotle,” that make you laugh with their madness.
What makes Peter Who? soar as a musical is that it is so bright, simple, and sweet. It is hard to describe how basically good it is because it runs on heart. You are not going to get the best special effects, but you will get some humorous creative ones, particularly when Spiderman has to climb walls. In some ways its NYMF run explains why it has been so revived and beloved since its conception in 2011; Peter Who? truly is a breathe of fresh air. You cannot be mad at its adorable “cookiness”, and how it paces its scenes like the cartoon: even using its images in the backdrop. Overall, Peter Who? gets my vote for best musical in the New York Music Festival. Click Here For More Information.
