A boy orphaned by a rhinoceros attack, an affable ladybug, a cocky centipede, a good-natured spider, a paranoid earth worm, and a hippie grasshopper, all in a colossal peach, certainly made for an outlandishly fun assemblage in the Episcopal Academy's production of James and the Giant Peach.

This atypical interpretation of one of Roald Dahl's most venerated children's books made for an evening of hilarity for new readers and old fans.

First published in 1961, British author Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach chronicles the tale of a young orphan, James, who escapes his forlorn existence with his two narcissistic aunts by way of a magically enlarged peach and its anthropomorphic insect inhabitants. Their voyage takes them from a dilapidated house in the English countryside to New York City and a better life.

One of the most intriguing and potentially problematic aspects of this play was how to create and utilize an enormous fruit, which was required to fly, float, and accommodate passengers both inside and out. Ingeniously, the peach was a geodesic dome which could be lifted, shifted, and treated like a jungle gym. This central piece tied the whole production together nicely.

This show was an amusing venture back into childhood fantasy, commanded by a dynamic cast of leads. Jeffrey Familetti, the narrator, moved the plot forward and made what could have been a dull part pleasant. Ben Mascioli (Grasshopper), Mac Lee (Centipede), Sarah Bernhardt (Miss Spider), Kate Ruggiero (Ladybug), and Sean Purcell (Earthworm) played a cast of distinctive insect characters who all contrasted well. All of the characters in this play were able to give their part a distinguishing identity.

Because of the process-oriented approach which was taken, each role had a curious twist which differentiated it from the book characters. For example, Grasshopper was a hippie who played guitar instead of a sophisticate who played violin, and the narrator was dressed as a farmer. This made the whole plot more relevant, and was for the most part an advantage.

The employment of uncomplicated sets and inventive adaptations made James and the Giant Peach at Episcopal a night of wholesome imagination.