Finding Neverland opened and it seems lovers of Peter Pan and Glee will cheer, but lovers of creative musical theatre will hiss. You know the story, and you know the names of the actors playing the biggest roles – Matthew Morrison (of Glee fame) and Kelsey Grammer. So what’s not to love? Unfortunately, the production begins and ends with what you already know. Though the story of Peter Pan would seemingly burst at the seams with imaginative possibilities, this production stops short of exploring them. The critics report that performances feel lackluster, the book and music feel boring and sometimes stale, and the passion just doesn’t quite feel present. So there it is again – if you love Peter Pan and wouldn’t dream of missing a new version, the Lunt-Fontanne Theater is your spot. Otherwise, you might be better served crossing this one off your list.
NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW
TIME OUT NEW YORK REVIEW
Manic, childish applause might cure the poisoned fairy Tinker Bell, but it’s not medicine enough for “Finding Neverland,” the awkward, garish and manipulative musical based on the 2004 Miramax film about playwright J.M. Barrie and the boys who inspired Peter Pan. Show-doctored into a state of shrill mediocrity …
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER REVIEW
It had enough admirers to snag several Oscar nominations, including best picture, but I confess I found the 2004 movie “Finding Neverland” a decorous yawn, starring a somnambulant Johnny Depp opposite Kate Winslet in a role that under-utilized her talents. But the preciousness and mawkish emotional manipulation …
VULTURE REVIEW
Broadway Musical Blog 