Multi award-winning comedy trio Sleeping Trees are returning with another festive mash up, this year taking JM Barrie’s beloved boy who would not grow up, adding 20 years and 50 pounds, and sending him to the depths of the Labyrinth with just a Faun to help him. In this alternative adult comedy where stardust meets fairy-dust, Sleeping Trees create a show full of fast-paced storytelling, a cult soundtrack, surreal character comedy and a party atmosphere. Sleeping Trees are transforming Waterloo’s underground into a sinister and occasionally seductive realm inhabited by characters from Peter Pan, Labyrinth & Pan’s Labyrinth. Expect that Hands for Eyes character, a slug named Wendy and the maze master himself, David Bowie, played by drag artist extraordinaire Dan Wye (aka Seayoncé). This alternative Christmas treat follows their previous mash ups Goldilocks and the Three Musketeers and Scrooge and the Seven Dwarves.
After time finally (and literally) caught up with him, Peter Pan left Neverland, and with it, left behind the lost boys, Tinkerbell, and his youth. It’s now 2022 and Peter smokes, drinks, and lives off a diet of creamed Possum (look it up) and Bovril. Not wanting to go to Tink’s wedding looking like the target of a Huel advert, Peter goes in search of a solution to his ever-expanding gut and aggressive acid reflux. If rumours are to be believed, there is only one man with powers strong enough to restore him to his former glory, David Bowie, who lives at the centre of the labyrinth.
Sleeping Trees is made up of three writers and performers: Joshua George Smith, James Dunnell-Smith, and John Woodburn, with Producer Alice Carter. They’ve been touring and creating work since 2010 and have had a total of 15 productions in that time, including eight Edinburgh shows and six Christmas shows. They’ve performed all over the United Kingdom, as well as in Belgium and Australia.
This show sees the company work with a fourth onstage performer for the first time, collaborating with drag artist Dan Wye, better known onstage as Seayoncé. When asked about playing David Bowie in Peter Pan’s Labyrinth, Dan said ‘When I was 19 years old I’d go to Edinburgh Fringe with my friends and Sleeping Trees was one of the company’s we would always go and see. Working with them now is wonderful because we share a comedy language which makes it easy to improvise and bounce of each other. We’re making something that is comedy for comedy’s sake and about having fun’.
Josh from Sleeping Trees said ‘We met Dan when we were all performing in the same venue at Adelaide Fringe festival in 2019. We love the way Dan works, he has such great stage presence we couldn’t think of a better person to be taking on the iconic Bowie role – he adds a new dimension for us and it’s a fun opportunity to try out some new things and hopefully delight audiences.’
The whole show is being guided by the dramaturgical eye of Shenoah Allen, one half of the sketch-narrative comedy duo The Pyjama Men. Shenoah is also currently part of the comedic duo Richard and Greta with Nina Conti.
Known as London’s home for immersive theatre and alternative arts, The Vaults’ mission is to collaborate and conspire, embracing artists from all walks of life to come together and inspire others. Set in a maze of disused railway arches under Waterloo station, The Vaults encourage those that have a natural affinity to the unusual, the daring and the unknown. Co-producing with innovative immersive theatre makers, The Vaults fuses together art forms and champions unsung voices, especially those of the LGBTQ+ community. They aim to make immersive experiences for all, focusing on big and current ideas told in outlandish, accessible, and most of all, fun, ways. The Vaults look for talented artists from every vocation to mutate their art, and produce work that is challenging, accessible and imaginative. Previous productions include Mulan Rouge, Goosebumps, and Shakespeare classic Richard II.
The Vaults are introducing Pay What You Can tickets across their seasonal program, to support those struggling to access culture in the current economic climate. Every Wednesday and Sunday Pay what You Can tickets are priced from £3 and bookable in advance. The season includes Witches of Oz, a drag dining cabaret in the Emerald City, 21st September – 15th January, and Stranger Sings!, a Stranger Things musical parody 5th October – 15th January.
Running Time: 100mins (inc interval) | Suitable for ages 16+ due to strong language
Company information
Written by Sleeping Trees Dramaturgy by Shenoah Allen
Set design by Maeve Black Lighting design by Clancy Flynn
Sound design by Ben Hales Produced by Alice Carter & The Vaults
Cast
Joshua Smith, James Dunnel-Smith, John Woodburn, Dan Wye
Listings information
18th October – 7th January
The Vaults, Launcelot Street entrance, Launcelot Street, London SE1 7AD
Weds – Sat | Doors 7.45pm | Show starts at 8.30pm
£10 Thursday – Saturday | Pay What You Can on Wednesdays
