Peter and the Starcatcher – a tale about the boy who became Peter Pan – was a hit on Broadway. Now, Brisbane company Dead Puppet Society is staging a brand-new Australian production. Elissa Blake talks to the show’s director and designer David Morton.

Set design for Peter and the Starcatcher, with a mermaid centre stage.
The Peter and the Starcatcher set model depicting the design by David Morton, with a mermaid. Images courtesy of Dead Puppet Society

We all know the story of Peter Pan. JM Barrie’s free spirit has been a staple of bedtime stories, pantomimes and film for more than a century. But how did Peter become the mercurial “betwixt and between” figure? And what made him decide to never grow up?

Few characters are more deserving...