Aussie comedy legends Colin Lane and Pete Helliar tackle the big stage in the reimagining of Broadway hit Peter and the Starcatcher.
Brisbane theatre company Dead Puppet Society has reimagined the five-time Tony Award-winning play Peter and the Starcatcher for Australian audiences. Touring nationally, the fantastical Peter Pan origin story will sail into Melbourne in November.
In a cast full of Aussie favourites, Colin Lane plays pirate captain Black Stache with Pete Helliar playing his bumbling first mate Smee. The two join a video call from their Canberra hotel rooms shortly before dress rehearsal.
Peter and the Starcatcher
- Canberra – Canberra Theatre Centre From 15 October 2024
- Melbourne – Arts Centre Melbourne From 8 November 2024
- Adelaide – Adelaide Festival Centre From 9 January 2025
- Sydney – Capitol Theatre From 31 January 2025
- Brisbane Qpac From 14 March 2025
- Book tickets here
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“We’ve known each other for a long time, but it’s a very different thing to work together and spend time on and off stage. We’ve always got along… but it’s genuinely been a thrill,” says Helliar. “I wanted you to say privilege,” interjects Lane sporting an immaculate in-character moustache.
“A privilege and an honour. I’m just savouring every moment I get with this man because… when the curtain falls on closing night, he probably won’t return my calls,” says Helliar. “Peter and I have probably not been involved in many shows that have had curtains,” adds Lane.
“I auditioned for a Dollar Curtains commercial once, but that was as close as I got,” jokes Helliar.
“And I wanted to get into the spotlight, but it was Spotlight Haberdashery,” quips Lane.
Lane has more experience on stage, while Helliar caught the bug narrating the recent production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. “The timing was fortuitous because they asked me to be in this, and I said, ‘I’m about to be in Rocky Horror, let’s see if I enjoy the lifestyle of eight shows a week,’” recalls Helliar.
“It gave me a little entree into what we’re about to do, but this has been a big step up. The more experienced actors in this show are saying, ‘What we’re doing is a lot. It’s complicated,’” says Helliar. “It’s a bigger step than I realised, but I’m genuinely loving the challenge.”
“There’s not going to be any hanging around in the dressing room waiting for your scene. We’re active. We’re moving sets, we’re providing narration, and we’re creating crowd scenes,” says Lane. “I’ve watched the recording of the first dress rehearsal… going, ‘Oh right, now that makes sense.’ You’re so intent on getting your bits right, you’re just concentrating on what you have to do next.”
Peter and the Starcatcher is the largest scale production Lane has been involved in too. “You do a run of the show, and they say, ‘we’re going to just invite the creatives and the producers,’ and suddenly there’s 40 people in the room,” he says. “There’s a lot of smart minds involved.”
Lane says it’s a far cry from working with his longtime collaborator Frank Woodley. “When we do a show, we write it, we direct it, we produce it, we design it and we stage manage it. Frank’s making props until two o’clock in the morning before we open,” he explains. “Here, there’s a director, there’s a producer, there’s a costume designer, there’s a stage designer and there’s prop makers. The team is very involved and highly skilled.”
“They look after you – it’s amazing. Sometimes they put a jacket on for you, and then they make sure you’ve got the prop for the next scene,” says Lane. “Sometimes when I come home on weekends, I feel myself get a bit cold and I put my hands out for someone to put a jacket on me,” says Helliar outstretching his arms. “It doesn’t happen.”
While Smee is a comedic role, it’s not what Helliar is accustomed to. “Theatre has always scared me. When I do stand up, if I mess up, I’m there to fix it and nobody else is put out,” he explains. “If you’re not in the right spot at the right time it has a knock-on effect. People can literally get hurt, because actors are catching other actors during this production.”
“Because 70 to 80 per cent of it is underscored with music, you’re having to hit cue points and dialogue that correspond to a piece of music,” adds Lane. “That’s an added piece of Technicolor and texture to it, but it’s also an extra level of stress.”
“I don’t know whether I’m giving out secrets, but in big-scale [productions], they turn your mic on when you’ve got a line, and when you finish, they turn it off,” continues Lane. “But I’ve had a little chat with the sound man and asked, ‘Can you just leave me… and Pete’s mic on all the time.’ Because if we stuff up, I need to say something.”
“We’re not building a lot of confidence. To get things clear – it’s going to be good. It’s not just going to be Pete and I struggling with all these elements. We’re going to get it right, and it’s going to be great,” reiterates Lane.
Jokes aside, Helliar agrees. “The Dead Puppet Society have created something pretty special. The music is stunning – it reminds me of Come from Away, that kind of style. It’s really moving,” he says. “It’s a much-loved piece of theatre on Broadway, but it hasn’t been there for a while. I think they’re hoping this reimagining is going to kickstart it in other territories as well.”
Book tickets here.
