Peter Pan Version 1 (Perusal)

Scene One

The Darling’s Nursery

There are three children’s beds a chair, a large toybox and an open window. Items such as toys, etc; may be added. Music cue 1: Michael and John are playing pirates around the room. Occasionally hopping on and off the beds.

John Avast me hearties! Splice the mainbrace, turn the capstan and hoist the jolly roger!

Michael I can’t, captain!

John Why not?

Michael Roger’s feelin’ a bit off today.

John Pirates aren’t allowed to feel, off! Give him a taste of the cat!

Michael Aye-aye captain! (calling) Here puss, puss, puss!

Enter Nana bounding on (SR) she jumps on the bed, causing Michael to fall off.

John Man overboard!

Enter Wendy (SR)

Wendy What’s all the commotion, boys?

John (to Wendy) You! Cabin boy! Throw Black Dog a line and haul him aboard!

Michael (floundering on the floor) Help! I’m going down for the fourth time!

Wendy I thought drowning people only went down three times.

John Pirates are made of sterner stuff, Wendy.

Michael Are you going to rescue me from a watery grave or not, Wendy?

Wendy Sorry boys, I don’t have time to play pirate games. Mum wants to know if you’ve taken your medicine yet.

John Oh yes, we’ve taken it. Haven’t we Black Dog?

Michael (standing) Yes, Captain!

Wendy Have the boys had their medicine, Nana?

Nana (shaking head) Ruff! Ruff!

John You mutinous dog, Nana!

Wendy Fetch the medicine bottle and a spoon, Nana.

Nana Ruff! (exits SL and returns with a large medicine bottle and a spoon)

John We’re not taking that. It tastes horrible!

Wendy But mother says it’s good for you.

Michael Then how come you don’t take it?

Wendy Mother said I don’t need to take it, because I’m a regular girl

Enter Mrs Darling (SR)

Mrs Darling Come along children, it’s time to settle down to sleep.

Wendy They won’t take their medicine, mother.

Mrs Darling Oh well, it won’t hurt to miss one night. Take the medicine away, Nana.

Exit Nana (SL) with the bottle and spoon.

John & Mich (cheer) Yeah!

Mrs Darling You can have a double dose tomorrow instead, boys.

John & Mich (groan) Aaaah!

Mrs Darling Now, into bed all of you.

All three Children climb into their beds and lie down.

SFX: Thunder crack and lightning flash.

Peter Pan appears at the window. Mrs Darling turns and glances at the window, but Peter ducks down quickly.

Mrs Darling Who’s there? (approaches the window and looks out, then turns to audience) I thought I saw a young boy outside the window just now.

Mr Darling (shouts off) Nana! Where are you?

Enter Mr Darling (SR)

Mrs Darling Hello George, dear.

Mr Darling Have you seen Nana anywhere, Mary?

Mrs Darling She’s just putting the boy’s medicine away.

Enter Nana at a run (SL) she knocks over Mr Darling and runs to the window.

Mr Darling (picking himself up) How on earth did we end up with a dog for a nanny?

Mrs Darling It was your idea, George.

Mr Darling Oh no, it wasn’t.

Mrs Darling Oh yes, it was. When Nanny McVitie left, you asked me to go down the pound and pick up a replacement.

Mr Darling No, dear. I said, go down the town and look for a replacement.

Mrs Darling Did you? Never mind. Nana’s as good as any nanny, and much cheaper.

Nana barks at the window.

Mr Darling Why does she keep barking at the window?

Mrs Darling Maybe she saw what I saw earlier.

Mr Darling And what did you see?

Mrs Darling A young boy’s face at the window.

Mr Darling You can’t have. We’re three stories up.

Mrs Darling You’re right. It must’ve been my imagination.

Nana continues barking at the window.

Mr Darling Quiet Nana and come with me.

The Children sit up.

Wendy Where are you taking Nana, father?

Mr Darling Outside to her kennel.

John But she hasn’t tucked us up in bed yet.

Michael Or fluffed up our pillows.

Wendy Or sang us a song.

Mrs Darling Nana’s a dog, children. She can’t tuck you in, fluff up your pillows or sing you a song.

Children Oh yes, she can!

Nana nods in agreement.

Mr Darling All right Nana. If you’re so clever, then let’s see you in action.

Nana rushes over to the beds, fluffs up each of their pillows and then pushes the Children down flat and tucks them in.

Mrs Darling Nana’s obviously a very clever dog, George.

Mr Darling Perhaps. But there’s no way she can manage to sing to them.

Nana signals to band or wing. Music cue 2: Nana. After song ends…

Mr Darling Gosh! Not even Pudsey…or current famous clever dog)…could manage that.

Nana Ruff! Ruff! (bows several times to audience)

Mrs Darling That’ll do, Nana. Goodnight children.

Children Goodnight mother! Goodnight father!

Exit Mr and Mrs Darling with Nana (SR) lights dim.

Music cue 3: Enter Tinkerbell via the window. She starts searching the room looking in drawers, opening toy-box, lifting toys, etc.

Peter (appears at window and whispers) Tink! Have you found it yet?

Tinkerbell (whispers) No, Peter. Are you sure you lost it here?

Enter Peter.

Peter Yes! It was separated from me by a big shaggy dog.

They continue searching.

Tinkerbell Maybe the dog carried it away and buried it.

Peter Don’t say that Tink. I feel lost without my shadow. Have you looked under the beds?

Tinkerbell Not yet.

Peter (impatient) Then look now!

Tinkerbell All right keep your hair on!

Peter Sssshh! Not so loud, or you might wake them up.

Tinkerbell (tetchy) Oh, shush yourself! (looks under John’s bed)

Peter (looks under Michael’s bed) Anything under yours?

Tinkerbell Nope. Yours?

Peter No. Let’s hope it’s third time lucky. (reaches under Wendy’s bed) I can feel something! (Wendy turns in her sleep, startling him. She settles down again and he reaches under the bed and pulls out a material shadow) I have it, Tink!

Tinkerbell Hurry up and put it on and then we can leave.

Peter (drapes shadow over his back, attempting to re-attach it, but it falls to the floor) It won’t re-attach, Tink! (bends to pick it up)

Wendy (wakes and sits bolt upright) What’s going on?

Peter Oh! (jumps up startled and contrives to knock into Tink, who falls backwards into the toybox and the lid slams shut)

Wendy (sees Peter) Who are you?

Peter (heroic pose) I’m Peter Pan! What’s your name?

Wendy Wendy Darling.

Peter Hello, sweetheart.

Wendy No, my name is, Wendy Darling.

Peter That’s twice you’ve called me darling, and we’ve only just met.

Wendy No! My first name is Wendy, and my surname name, is Darling.

Peter Ah, I see.

Wendy What are you doing in our bedroom?

Peter I was searching for my shadow. (shows it off)

Wendy I didn’t think you could be separated from your shadow.

Peter Things are very different where I come from.

Wendy And where’s that?

Peter Neverland.

Wendy I’ve never heard of, Neverland. Where exactly is it?

Peter (pointing to the window) Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning!

Wendy That’s a strange location. And do your parents know you go around, breaking into other people’s homes?

Peter I didn’t break in. The window was open, and I don’t have any parents.

Wendy You’re an orphan!?

Peter I don’t know. Do orphans have parents?

Wendy No. That’s why they’re called, orphans?

Peter Then I must be an orphan.

Wendy You poor thing. It must be very upsetting for you.

Peter I don’t remember ever having parents. So I can’t get upset about not having them, now can I?

Wendy I suppose not. But don’t you ever get lonely?

Peter Never. I always have my shadow for company. (holds it up) Well, I did. But last night that big soppy dog of yours caught me, as I was about to leave through the window. I managed to escape, but my shadow was too slow.

Wendy You’ve been here before?

Peter Lots of times. I sit outside your window and listen to the stories your parents read to you. Then I return to Neverland and tell them to the Lost Boys.

Wendy Who are, the Lost Boys?

Peter They’re children who fell out of their prams when nobody was looking. And because they weren’t claimed within seven days, they were sent to live in Neverland. I don’t want to go back without my shadow, but I can’t get it to reattach.

Wendy Would you like me to sew it back on for you?

Peter You’d do that for me?

Wendy Of course. (takes the shadow and ‘sews’ it back on Peter) There, all finished.

Peter (walks around in a spotlight, which shows off his shadow. Or an actor enters dressed all in black and shadows him) That’s better. Thanks Wendy.

Wendy You’re welcome. I’d hate to be separated from my shadow. Going out on sunny days just wouldn’t be the same without it tagging along. Music cue 4: Peter and Wendy. (shadow can join in a dance if you use a separate actor) After song ends…

Peter Thanks again, Wendy. One girl is worth twenty boys.

Wendy I don’t know about that, but I’ll give you a kiss just for saying it.

Peter What’s a kiss?

Wendy Don’t you know what a kiss is?

Peter Well, not until you give it to me I don’t.

Wendy In that case, close your eyes and hold out your hand. (he does so and she gives him a thimble) There. Now open your eyes again.

Peter (looks at the thimble) That’s a very nice kiss.

Wendy (giggles) I’m glad you like it.

Peter Now, let me give you one. (Wendy closes her eyes waiting for a kiss, but he takes an acorn necklace from his neck and places it over her head) There. What do you think of that kiss?

Wendy How old are you, Peter?

Peter I don’t know.

Wendy But you must know how old you are.

Peter (petulant) Well I don’t, so there! (sticks tongue out at her)

Wendy It’s rude to stick your tongue out at people.

Peter Oh no, it isn’t!

Wendy Oh yes, it is!

Peter Isn’t! Isn’t! Isn’t! (stamps his feet)

Wendy Stop behaving like a child and grow up!

Peter I never want to grow up. That’s why I ran away to live with the fairies.

Wendy I don’t believe in fairies.

Peter That’s a terrible thing to say. Every time anybody says, I don’t believe in fairies. Another fairy dies. (exclaims) Tinkerbell! (looks around)

Wendy Who’s Tinkerbell?

Peter She’s a fairy who came here with me. Listen! Can you hear anything?

SFX: Tinkling bells.

Wendy I can hear bells!

Peter It’s coming from the toybox! (opens toybox and a groggy Tinkerbell climbs out)

Wendy Gosh! It’s a real fairy!

Peter This is Tinkerbell. Say hello to Wendy, Tink.

Tinkerbell (grumpy) Hello, Windy.

Peter No, Tink. It’s, Wendy.

Tinkerbell That’s what I said – Windy!

Wendy Is she from Neverland, too?

Peter Yes. It’s wonderful there, Wendy. We all get to fight Indians and Pirates, every day.

Wendy My brothers would love it there.

Peter Then why don’t you all come back with us?

Wendy I don’t know if we should.

Peter Please Wendy. There aren’t any girls like you in Neverland.

Tinkerbell Excuse me? Hello!

Wendy You’re a fairy Tink. And fairies aren’t normal girls.

Tinkerbell Charming! (folds her arms and turns away in a huff)

Wendy But if there are Lost Boys, then surely there must be lost girls.

Peter I’m afraid not. Girls are much too clever to fall out of their prams.

Wendy More compliments. Just for that, I’m going to give you a great big kiss.

Peter But you’ve already given me a kiss.

Wendy That was just a joke. This is a real kiss. (leans forward to give him a kiss but Tinkerbell pulls her hair preventing it) Owah! (to Tink) You pulled my hair!

Tinkerbell Yes, and I’ll do it again if you try giving Peter a kiss.

Wendy You obviously know what a kiss is.

Tinkerbell Yes, I do. So just watch it.

Peter Come with us Wendy, and you can tell stories to the Lost Boys, just like a mother would. They’ve never had parents to read stories to them.

Wendy That’s so sad.

Peter Their favourite one, is about the girl who lost her glass slipper.

Wendy You mean, Cinderella?

Peter Yes, that’s the one.

Tinkerbell (suddenly interested) Whatever happened to Cinderella? I didn’t hear how it ended.

Wendy She married Prince Charming and they lived happily ever after.

Tinkerbell puts her hands over her heart and sighs.

Peter Come to Neverland with us Wendy, please.

Wendy (hesitating) Well, I…

Peter It will be a great adventure, I promise.

Tinkerbell (dragging him away) Let’s go Peter. Can’t you see she’s not interested?

Wendy I didn’t say that, now did I? But how will we get there?

Peter We’ll fly there of course! (flies upwards)

Wendy Gosh! You can fly!

Peter Yes, Wendy.

Wendy But I can’t, Peter.

Tinkerbell Well, of course you can’t. (sassy) One to us girl fairies, I think.

Peter I’ll teach you how to fly, Wendy.

Wendy You can’t teach someone how to fly, Peter.

Peter Yes, I can! Just say yes, and we’ll be in Neverland by morning.

Wendy (excited) Yes, Peter! I’ll come! (rousing the boys) John! Michael! Wake up!

John and Michael wake and rub their eyes.

Michael What is it, Wendy?

Wendy Peter Pan’s here!

John Don’t talk silly, Wendy. You must’ve dreamt it.

Michael Yes, go back to sleep.

They boys turn over and pull the blankets over their heads.

Wendy (pulls blankets back) I didn’t dream it! (indicating Peter and Tink) Look, they’re real! Pinch yourselves if you don’t believe me!

John & Mich (pinch themselves) Ouch! (they get out of bed)

John They’re real, Michael!

Michael But what are they doing here?

Wendy They’ve come to take us to a place called, Neverland.

John What’s so special about Neverland, that we’d want to go there?

Peter Do you like fighting Pirates and Indians?

John & Michael (eager) Yes, we do!

Peter Well, in Neverland you can fight them all day every day.

Michael And how do we get there?

Wendy We’re going to fly ourselves there.

Michael (laughs) People can’t fly, Wendy!

Wendy Peter can teach us how to fly. Isn’t that so, Peter?

Peter Yes, Wendy. Tink, sprinkle them with magic fairy dust please.

Tinkerbell Sorry, Peter. I’m all out of magic fairy dust.

Peter I can see your dust pouch is full, Tink. Now, hurry up and do it.

Tinkerbell Fine! (reaches in her pouch and sprinkles fairy dust over Wendy and the Boys)

Peter Now, let’s climb out the window and get ready to fly!

They start climbing out of the window as lights dim.