Scene One
The Darling’s Nursery
There are three single beds a chair, a large toybox and an open window. Music cue 1: Chorus. After song ends…Exit Chorus (SL)
Enter Michael and John at a run (SR) playing at pirates around the room and hopping on and off the beds.
JOHN: Avast me hearties! Splice the mainbrace and hoist the jolly roger!
MICHAEL: I can’t, captain!
JOHN: Why not?
MICHAEL: Roger’s feelin’ a bit off.
JOHN: Pirates aren’t allowed to feel off! Give him a taste of the cat!
MICHAEL: Aye-aye captain! (calling) Here puss, puss!
Enter Nana (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: Aren’t you going to rescue me from a watery grave Wendy?
WENDY: Sorry boys, I haven’t got 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) Aye, Captain!
WENDY: Have the boys had their medicine, Nana?
NANA: (shaking head) Ruff! Ruff!
WENDY: Fetch the medicine bottle and a spoon, Nana.
NANA: Ruff! Ruff! (exits SL)
JOHN: (shouts) You mutinous dog, Nana!
Enter Nana with a large medicine bottle and a spoon.
WENDY: It’s medicine time boys.
MICHAEL: We’re not taking that.
WENDY: You must take it.
JOHN: But it tastes horrible!
WENDY: Mother says it’s good for you.
MICHAEL: Then how come you don’t take it?
WENDY: Mother says 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: It won’t hurt to miss one night. Take the medicine away, Nana.
Exit Nana (SL) with the bottle and spoon.
JOHN & MICHAEL: (cheer) Yeah!
MRS DARLING: You can have a double dose tomorrow instead, boys.
JOHN & MICHAEL: (groan) Urrrgh!
MRS DARLING: Now, into bed all of you.
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 quickly down again.
MRS DARLING: Who’s there? (looks out window) 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 (SL) knocking Mr Darling over as she 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: No, it wasn’t.
MRS DARLING: 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 downtown and pick up 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 floors up.
MRS DARLING: You’re right dear, I must have imagined it.
MR DARLING: Be quiet Nana and come with me!
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 our pillows.
WENDY: Or sung us a song.
MRS DARLING: Nana’s a dog, children. She can’t tuck you in, fluff 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 all their pillows and tucks them in.
MRS DARLING: Nana’s obviously a very clever dog, George.
MR DARLING: Maybe so, 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…
MRS DARLING: Gosh! Not even Pudsey…(or other famous dog)…could manage that.
NANA: Ruff! Ruff! (bows several times to audience)
MR DARLING: That’ll do, Nana!
MRS DARLING: Goodnight children.
CHILDREN: Goodnight mother! Goodnight father!
Exit Mr and Mrs Darling with Nana (SR) lights dim.
Music cue 3: Enter Tinkerbell via window. She starts searching the room. She opens the opening toy-box and leaves the lid open.
Enter Peter through the window.
PETER: (hisses) Have you found it yet, Tink?
TINKERBELL: (whispers) No, Peter. Are you sure you lost it here?
PETER: Yes! It was separated from me by a big shaggy dog.
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 their 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.
TINKERBELL: (tetchy) Oh, shush yourself! (looks under John’s bed)
PETER: (looks under Michael’s bed) Anything under yours?
TINKERBELL: Nope – yours?
PETER: No Tink. 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 and he 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 bumps into Tink, knocking her backwards into the toybox, whose lid slams shut)
WENDY: Who are you?
PETER: (heroic pose) I’m Peter Pan! What’s your name?
WENDY: Wendy Darling.
PETER: Hello, sweetheart.
WENDY: My name is, Wendy Darling.
PETER: That’s twice you’ve called me darling, and we’ve only just met.
WENDY: 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)
WENDY: I didn’t think you could be separated from your shadow.
PETER: Things are very different where I come from.
WENDY: And where is that?
PETER: Neverland.
WENDY: I’ve never heard of Neverland. Where exactly is it?
PETER: (points at window) Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning!
WENDY: That’s a strange location. 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 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: But don’t you ever get lonely?
PETER: No, I always have my shadow for company. (holds it up) Well, I did. But last night that big soppy dog of yours almost caught me, as I was leaving. I escaped, 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 be 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 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 as he moves around stage. Music cue 4: Peter. After song ends…
PETER: That’s wonderful! Thanks Wendy!
WENDY: You’re welcome. I’d hate to be separated from my shadow. Going out on sunny days wouldn’t be the same without it tagging along.
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: Not until you give it to me, I don’t.
WENDY: Close your eyes and hold out your hand. (he does so and she gives him a thimble) Now, open your eyes again.
PETER: (looks at 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 Wendy, what do you think of that kiss?
WENDY: How old are you, Peter?
PETER: I don’t know.
WENDY: You must know how old you are, silly!
PETER: (petulant) Well I don’t – so there! (pokes tongue at her)
WENDY: It’s rude to poke your tongue out at people.
PETER: Oh no, it isn’t!
WENDY: Oh yes, it is!
PETER: Isn’t! Isn’t! Isn’t! (stamps 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. Whenever anybody says, I don’t believe in fairies, another fairy dies. (exclaims) Tink! (looks around)
WENDY: Who’s Tink?
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 Tinkerbell climbs out)
WENDY: Gosh! It’s a real fairy!
PETER: This is Tinkerbell. Say hello to Wendy, Tink.
TINKERBELL: (grumpy) Hello, Windy.
WENDY: It’s Wendy.
TINKERBELL: That’s what I said – Windy!
WENDY: Is she from Neverland, too?
PETER: Yes, it’s wonderful there. We get to fight Pirates and Indians 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 Peter – hello!?
WENDY: You’re a fairy Tink, and fairies aren’t normal girls.
TINKERBELL: Charming! (folds arms and turns away in a huff)
WENDY: But if there are Lost Boys, then surely there must be lost girls.
PETER: Girls are much too clever to fall out of their prams, Wendy.
WENDY: More compliments. Just for that, I’m going to give you a kiss.
PETER: But you’ve already given me a kiss.
WENDY: That was just a joke. This is a real kiss. (leans forward to kiss him, 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, 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 is the one about the girl who lost her glass slipper.
WENDY: You mean, Cinderella?
PETER: Yes, that’s the one.
TINKERBELL: 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. It will be a great adventure, I promise.
WENDY: (hesitating) Well, I…
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 up)
WENDY: Gosh Peter, you can fly!
PETER: Yes, Wendy.
WENDY: But I can’t fly, Peter.
TINKERBELL: (sassy) One to us girl fairies, I think.
PETER: I’ll teach you how to fly, Wendy.
WENDY: You can’t teach somebody 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!
They boys pull the covers up tight and answer without looking up.
MICHAEL: What is it, Wendy?
WENDY: Peter Pan’s here!
JOHN: Don’t talk silly, you must’ve dreamt it.
MICHAEL: Go back to sleep Wendy.
WENDY: (pulls covers back) I didn’t dream it! (indicating Peter and Tink) Look, they’re real! Pinch yourselves if you don’t believe me!
JOHN & MICHAEL: (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, Peter!
PETER: 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! (delves into pouch and sprinkles fairy dust over Wendy and Boys)
PETER: Now, let’s climb out the window and get ready to fly!
They start climbing out of the window as lights dim.
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