By Emma Houldershaw, Samantha Cartwright & Louise Archer
A sparkling new pantomime version of the classic story by JM Barrie, featuring the familiar characters: Peter, Tinkerbell, Wendy, John, Michael, Tiger Lily, the Lost Boys, the Indians, and of course the evil Captain Hook. And some unfamiliar ones: Nana Smee (Dame) and two comedy duos, Rum & Coke (Pirates), and Chardonnay and Prosecco (Mermaids).
Plot Summary
The Darling children, Wendy, Michael and John are visited by Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. They fly to Neverland, where they meet the Lost Boys and the Indians, including Princess Tiger Lily. Peter’s sworn enemy the villainous Captain Hook and his Pirates are bent on finding Peter’s hideout, but with the help of Nana Smee, Tinkerbell and the Darlings Peter manages to outsmart Hook.
Running time: 2 hours
If you would like to stage a production of Peter Pan, either professional or amateur in the UK, USA or Spain, please contact the following theatre agents:
• UK: Samuel French Ltd, (for JM Barrie’s original play and other adaptations, see below for exceptions) 52 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 5JR, Tel 020 7387 9373, www.samuelfrench.co.uk
J M Barrie’s gift of the rights to Peter Pan has provided a significant source of income to Great Ormond Street Hospital ever since they were given to the hospital in 1929.
In 1996, the copyright term was extended to 70 years after the author’s death throughout the European Union, which meant Peter Pan enjoyed revived copyright until 31 December 2007, after which it entered the public domain in Europe (except in Spain where the copyright will endure until the end of 2017, thanks to previous legislation).
In the UK, the CDPA therefore prevails so that the hospital will continue enjoying the benefit of Barrie’s gift in perpetuity.
CAST
Peter Pan (F), Wendy Darling (F) John Darling, Michael Darling (M/F), Tinkerbell (F) Mother (F), Father (M), Nana Smee (M), Tiger Lily (F), Mama/Papa , Captain Hook (M)
THE LOST BOYS Slightly, Curly, Nibs, Toodles, Spooks & Spike
Rum & Coke (M/F), Chardonnay & Prosecco (F)
Chorus parts: the Indians (Booming Voice, Fire Starter and Meek as Mouse), children and pirates. Speaking Chorus parts are Meek as Mouse and Pirate 5
Captain Hook and Father can be doubled up.
Sets: a nursery, and various locations in Neverland.
An excerpt from Peter Pan
ACT 1
Scene 1
The Nursery at the Darling House, Practical window situated downstage R, large enough to climb through, with a chest of drawers by it, this can remain on the stage throughout, three short beds, each with a headboard showing the names of the three Darling children equally spaced across the back,
Wendy, John, Michael and chorus (as children) are on stage for the opening number
Song 1
John, Michael and chorus immediately start play fighting with swords, Wendy stands downstage watching, looking slightly disapproving
John Give me back me treasure or I’ll make ya walk the plank
Michael Shiver me timbers, you’ll have to fight me for it
John and Michael start a sword fight with fake swords, chorus gather round chanting ‘fight, fight, fight’
Wendy Stop it, this is nonsense (she goes into the middle of the fight) neither of you will win against, Peter Pan, (she holds up a sword too, pretends to be Peter and joins in)
John Mutiny on the bounty!
Michael You scurvy dogs
All play fighting
Nana enters SL, looking like she’s ready to stop the fight, door shutting sound effect
Nana What’s all this hullaballoo?
All the children stop and look at her
Children Nana!
Michael Great, you can be our prisoner
They rush around her and put Nana front centre and wrap a rope around her
Nana Here we go again, anything to keep them happy. I’m Nana Smee and this is the Darling family, Michael
Michael Hi (he stops playing for a second and waves to the audience)
Nana Wendy
Wendy Pleased to meet you (she stops playing for a second and waves to the audience)
Nana and John
John Ahoy me hearties (he stops playing for a second and waves to the audience)
Nana And what little darlings they are, just look at them. I think it’s important to let kids be kids, don’t you? I childproofed the house…but they still get in. They grow up so quickly, seems like yesterday they were only babies, you spend the first two years of their lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next sixteen years telling them to sit down and shut up. (kids tighten the ropes and Nana pulls an ‘I’m tolerating you’ face) Mothers with teenagers know why animals eat their young. I don’t have kids of my own, my relationship is like an ipad.
John But you don’t have an ipad?
Nana (makes a face to say ‘exactly’) I’ve just never met Mr Right (audience respond) Oh it’s a lot sadder than that (audience respond) but still, you never know what’s around the corner (she instantly looks at a man in the audience) How about you? You’ve had your eye on me since the start, what’s your name? (audience member responds) Well hello (name), are you married (name)? (If they say yes) But not happily (and wink) (if they say no) you’re not, it’s your lucky day
Nana gets knocked over by the kids and they bundle on top of her laughing.
Mother and Father enter SL
Father What is the meaning of this? And where, may I ask, is Nana?
Nana wriggles free from the bundle of children, straightening her clothes, Mother helps her
Nana I’m here Mr Darling.
Father Last time I counted, I only had three children
Mother Now now, calm down dear, they’re just playing.
Father Nana, escort these children home, I wish to speak with my children
Nana leads off the chorus children through audience
Father Wendy, John, Michael (the three of them line up). You need to understand there are boundaries in life, in my day, children were seen and not heard. I run a tight ship and you need to fall in line (while he is lecturing the children, they are imitating him, he spots them now). Wendy you are the eldest and you should be setting an example to your brothers, it’s about time you took your head out of the clouds and grew up.
Wendy But I don’t want to grow up father
Father You have no choice, it happens to us all.
Wendy Not to Peter Pan
Father I don’t want to hear another word about Peter Pan
Wendy But father, we want to hear what happens next, last night Mother told us how Peter was captured by the pirate Captain Hook and forced to walk the plank because Peter wouldn’t play by the rules
Father Sounds like this Captain Hook speaks a lot of sense, rules are there for a reason.
Wendy No father, Captain Hook is a mean, selfish man who wants to stop everyone having fun.
Father Enough of this poppycock, you’re too old for these fairy tales, in fact, you’re too old for this nursery. This is your last night in here Wendy, tomorrow you move to your own bedroom and grow up.
Wendy But Father
Mother James, that’s a little rash, surely she doesn’t have to move quite so soon
Father It’s decided
Mother You may be the Captain of this house but your ship isn’t always sailing in the right direction
Father We don’t have time for this, we need to leave for the Fundraiser gala for Great Ormond Street Hospital in ten minutes and I still haven’t found my bow tie and handkerchief. John and Michael sheepishly remove the bow tie which is tied around John’s head and the handkerchief from a pretend flag in Michael’s hand and give it to Father, he is angry
Father Another reason why you need to grow up! (he storms out of the room, exits SL)
Wendy Oh Mother, I don’t want to leave the nursery, I want to stay in here forever, I don’t ever want to grow up
Mother I know you feel that way now, but one day you’ll feel differently. You’re growing into a young lady and soon you’ll want your own space. Leaving the nursery isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of a new chapter for you and you should look at it as an exciting new adventure.
Wendy Mother, I want to hear about Peter’s adventure, can you tell us the end of the story?
Mother Not tonight darlings, I have to leave for the gala now.
Wendy But look, I found Peter’s shadow, he must have been to our nursery and left it behind (she shows mother a shadow)
Mother Well, let’s put it in here for safe keeping in case he comes back for it. (she puts it in the drawer, but doesn’t shut the drawer yet). Now in to bed all of you, (she goes round all three children and tucks them in and kisses them goodnight), Sweet dreams, sleep tight, I love you. (she turns off the light, closes the drawer and exits SL)
During the mother’s speech, a light (Tinkerbell) flutters around the room, flies into the open drawer and as the mother leaves she closes the drawer, trapping Tinkerbell in the drawer. The room is silent for a moment before Peter appears at the window.
Peter Tink! Tinkerbell! Where are you?
Tinkerbell (bell sound effect)
Peter Tink! Get out here
Tinkerbell (bell sound effect)
Peter climbs through the window and starts looking for his shadow.
Peter Tink, stop messing about, we need to find my shadow.
Peter is rummaging around the room carelessly, opens the drawer, Tink flies out, Shadow (person dressed all in black) comes out and follows Peter around, (music plays – me and my shadow instrumental) Peter struggles to grab it, shadow jumps out of the window, Peter leans out to grab it and pulls in a piece of material in a body shape. Peter takes his shadow and tries to stick it back on with a bar of soap, can’t and so starts crying like a frustrated boy
Wendy (sitting up in bed) Peter, Peter Pan? Is it really you? (Peter jumps up) Why are you crying?
Peter Yes I am Peter Pan and who are you?
Wendy Wendy Moira Angela Darling, pleased to meet you. Where have you come from? Do you live near by?
Peter Neverland, second on the right, and straight on til morning
Wendy What a funny address
Peter No it isn’t
Wendy I mean, what do you put on letters?
Peter Don’t get letters
Wendy But your mother must get letters
Peter Don’t have a mother
Wendy Oh Peter, no wonder you were crying
Peter I wasn’t crying about mothers, I was crying because I can’t stick my shadow back on, and anyway, I wasn’t crying
Wendy Well you won’t stick it back on with soap
Peter What would you know?
Wendy It has to be sewn on
Peter Sewn? What’s sewn?
Wendy You’re dreadfully ignorant. I’ll do it for you, it may hurt a little (she pretends to sew the shadow back on, and hides the material so it’s like it is back with Peter)
Peter I won’t cry
Wendy There you are, all done
Peter (excited that he’s got his shadow back) Oh how clever of me.
Wendy Of course, I did nothing.
Peter You did a little
Wendy A little (she turns away upset)
Peter I’m sorry Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys
Wendy Do you really think so?
Peter Yes I do
Wendy That’s perfectly sweet of you. I should like to give you a kiss if you’d like
Peter (shrugs and holds out his hand)
Wendy Surely you know what a kiss is?
Peter I’ll know when you give it to me
Wendy gives him a thimble
Peter Now, shall I give you a kiss?
Wendy If you please
Peter gives Wendy a button, she puts it in her pocket, Tinkerbell is really jealous and the light charges at Wendy along with a whoosh sound effect and bells
Wendy What was that?
Peter It’s Tinkerbell, she’s a fairy
Wendy I don’t believe in fairies
Peter (shocked) Don’t say that
Wendy Why not?
Peter Everytime a child says they don’t believe in fairies, a fairy drops down dead
Wendy Peter, you don’t mean to tell me there is a fairy in this room?
Peter Can you not hear her?
Wendy The only thing I hear is tinkling bells
Peter That’s Tinkerbell, it’s fairy language
Wendy I should love to meet Tinkerbell
Peter Tink! Come over here and meet my new friend Wendy
Tink’s light hovers around Peter’s ear and bells tinkle like she’s talking to him
Peter She’s not a very polite fairy, she says you’re a great ugly girl and she’s my fairy. She’s quite common, she’s called Tinkerbell because she mends the pots and kettles.
Wendy I wish she would stand still and let me see her
Sound effect and Tinkerbell becomes life size, she enters SR and stands glaring at Wendy
Wendy and Peter continue the conversation but mute.
Tink Argh, look at her #hateheralready (audience respond, Tink turns to talk to them) Can you hear me? (audience respond) Can you see me? You can? Wow, this is great, we can be friends, If you can see me, you must be true believers, (burst of well known Justin Bieber song) I said believers not beliebers, but that’s given me an idea, whenever I come on, I’ll say (singing) when you see me face, then you say (singing) now, I’m a believer, can you do that? Let’s give it a go. When you see my face (audience – now I’m a believer), that wasn’t loud enough, let’s give it another go, when you see my face (aud – now I’m a believer) excellent, well done. We’re gonna be great friends. (towards Wendy) I’m not being her friend. She can’t see me, look. (Tink stands in between Peter and Wendy and makes faces at Wendy, then turns to Peter and smiles, Peter and Wendy cannot see her) Peter’s my best friend, he has the lost boys too but that’s not the same as him and me, we’re besties. Never mind about her, we’ll be going back to Neverland soon anyway.
Peter I’ve got an idea
Tink He better not say she should come to Neverland (she is downstage R, Peter and Wendy are central, Tink is
talking to the audience, Peter and Wendy are talking to each other, un aware that Tink is there)
Peter You should come to Neverland
Wendy Really? That would be splendid
Tink No way! At least I know he definitely won’t show her his secret hideout
Peter I’ll show you my secret hideout
Wendy Would you?
Tink Aggh!!!
Wendy What about Michael and John?
Tink Never
Peter The more the merrier
Wendy I’ll wake them, Michael, John, wake up, we’re going to Neverland
John (rubbing his eyes) Neverland?
Michael (instantly wide awake and excited) Neverland! Wow, (to Peter) Are you the real life Peter Pan?
John Shouldn’t we ask Mother and Father first?
Wendy No, Father doesn’t believe in Neverland, let’s keep it our secret
John So how do we get there?
Peter We fly of course, close your eyes and think lovely wonderful thoughts
They line up across the front, John and Michael attach the flying equipment to Wendy and Peter
Tink Let’s see how far they get with this
Wendy Er is something supposed to happen?
Michael Am I flying yet?
Peter Whoops, I forgot, we need fairy dust, Tink?
Tink Oh, so now you need me?
Peter Tink, Tink! Where is that flaming fairy
Tink Nope, not happening, I’m not helping
Peter (nicer) Tink, you know I need you, I can’t do this without you
Tink Coming Peter (to audience) don’t look at me like that, Peter needs me
Tink exits SR and enters as a light, Peter grabs it and shakes her, sprinkling dust over everyone
Peter Thanks Tink (he throws her over his shoulder, the light flies off SR), now close your eyes and think lovely wonderful thoughts
Tink enters SR, big again
Tink If they’re all coming to Neverland, then my friends are coming too, are you with me? (she throws fairy dust on the audience) think lovely wonderful thoughts
Wendy and Peter rise into the air, John and Michael jump out of the window. (the flying can be done either using flying equipment, illusions or projections)
Nana enters SL
Nana John, Michael where are you going? Wait for me! (turns to audience member that he spoke to at the start and signals ‘call me’) Call me (name) (she jumps out of the window after them, sound effect cartoon style)
Wendy I’m flying Peter, I’m actually flying
Gauze closes, projection of flying over London
Song 2
Blacks close