How does Wendy & Peter Pan’s set design bring JM Barrie’s magical story to life on stage?
We really wanted the world to feel like magical realism.
At the start we looked at Tim Walker’s photographs – those striking images where he places something huge and unexpected in a domestic space, like a ship or an aeroplane. That led us to the idea that maybe you never truly leave the nursery. It’s a space full of imagination, so it felt natural that Neverland could emerge from there. As Wendy and her brothers search for their happy thoughts, the room evolves with them – gradually becoming more dreamlike and playful.
Can you tell us a bit about the nursery and how tricks are used in this setting?
Everything is done in plain sight. We use projection to help transform the space and different elements enter to reshape it. The goal was to keep it open and playful – a world the story could grow out of.
What challenges has the Barbican stage presented in terms of set design?
The Barbican is a wonderful space to work in, but it’s also very large. Wendy and Peter Pan deals with big themes, yet the heart of the story is quite intimate. So it was important to find a balance – creating a design that allows the audience to feel close to the action, even within such a big theatre.
What’s your favourite piece of the set? What feels most magical to you?
For me it’s less about a single element and more about the whole world. Ella’s version of the play is fresh while still connected to Barrie’s original, and that gave us the chance to design something layered and responsive to the story rather than just providing scenery. The magic really comes when everything combines – set, costumes, flying sequences, lighting, projection, sound, movement, and performance all brilliantly directed. That collective experience is what makes live theatre so special and magic.
In what way does the set feel interactive?
I think it feels most interactive for the actors. The nursery is full of detail so it immediately feels warm and lived-in. That makes the disruption of that world more powerful when things begin to change. Every element has its own energy, and the Home Under Ground (HUG) in particular was great fun to create. It’s meant to capture the spirit of childhood play – full of detail, discovery, and energy.
The production brings Wendy to the forefront of this classic tale. How does the set design help amplify her story?
The world builds around her, and we follow her journey through it. As designers, our role is always to support the story and help lift it. Hopefully what we’ve created feels like Wendy’s world – imaginative, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking.
