Peter Pan Version 2 (Perusal)

Scene One

The Darling’s Nursery

There are three single beds and a chair. A large open window is (USC) Music cue 1: Chorus. After song ends…Exit Chorus (SL)

Enter John Darling (SL) playing Captain Hook. He has a hook for a hand and is dragging on Wendy.

WENDY: (melodramatic) Help! Save me from the evil Captain Hook, Peter Pan!

JOHN: Peter Pan can’t save you now! (puts her in the chair and ties her loosely)

Enter Michael as Peter Pan (SR) with a rolled-up umbrella for a sword.

MICHAEL: (heroic) Fear not Wendy. Me and my brave sea dog will save you! (looks around – comes out of character) Where’s Nana, John?

JOHN: (out of character) I don’t know Michael, but she’s missed her cue again.

Enter Nana bounding on (SL)

WENDY: Here she is, now!

MICHAEL: See off Captain Hook, Nana!

NANA: (bounds over to John) Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!

JOHN: Blast, you Peter Pan! You win this time! Just keep that savage brute away from me!

NANA: Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!

Wendy’s ropes fall away, and her and Michael dance around, cheering.

Enter Mr and Mrs Darling (SR)

MR DARLING: What on earth’s all that noise about?

MICHAEL: We’re just playing our favourite game, father.

JOHN: Peter Pan versus Captain Hook and his pirates.

MRS DARLING: Well, now it’s time to drop anchor and climb into your hammocks, children.

CHILDREN: Hammocks!?

MR DARLING: It’s nautical speak, for beds.

The Children giggle and jump onto their respective beds. Wendy takes a rolled-up shadow from under her pillow and cuddles it close.

MRS DARLING: What’s that you’re cuddling Wendy?

WENDY: Oh, it’s nothing really mother.

MICHAEL: It’s Peter Pan’s shadow!

MR DARLING: (chuckles) Peter Pan’s shadow?

JOHN: We think he secretly visits us, to listen to Wendy reading stories.

MR DARLING: And he somehow managed to leave his shadow behind, did he?

WENDY: But it’s true, father! (lets the shadow unroll) See?

MRS DARLING: (playing along) It does look remarkably like Peter Pan’s shadow, George.

MR DARLING: Don’t encourage them, Mary.

MRS DARLING: I don’t think they need any encouraging, dear.

MR DARLING: Listen children. Peter Pan doesn’t really exist.

CHILDREN: Oh yes, he does!

MR DARLING: Oh no, he doesn’t!

WENDY: Well, we all believe in him. (to audience) Don’t we?

MRS DARLING: Let them have their fun George.

MR DARLING: Very well, but they must grow up eventually.

MRS DARLING: Did you remember to book a taxi to take us to the party?

MR DARLING: Yes, dear.

SFX: Car horn.

MRS DARLING: That sounds like it now.

MR DARLING: Come along, Mary.

MRS DARLING: Goodnight children.

CHILDREN: Goodnight mother! Goodnight father!

MR DARLING: And be good for Nana.

CHILDREN: We will!

Exit Mrs and Mrs Darling (SL)

JOHN: They’ve gone. Let’s play pirates again!

Children jump off their beds whooping and begin playfighting again.

NANA: (stern, pointing at beds) Ruff! Ruff!

MICHAEL: Can’t we play a bit longer, Nana?

NANA: (shakes head) Ruff! Ruff!

WENDY: Let’s get into bed, boys. (whispers to them) And who knows. Perhaps Peter Pan will visit us again tonight.

JOHN: And if we manage to stay awake, we might actually spot him.

Children settle down to sleep and lights dim.

Exit Nana (SR)

Music cue 2: Enter Tinkerbell via window – she visits each bed in turn.

Music cue 3: Peter Pan suddenly appears at the window.

PETER: (hisses) Are they all asleep, Tink?

TINKERBELL: (whispers) Yes, Peter.

Enter Peter.

PETER: Then let’s hurry and find it before they wake.

TINKERBELL: You should’ve taken more care of your shadow, Peter.

PETER: It’s not my fault that big shaggy dog managed to grab hold of it.
(leaning over Wendy) Gosh, this girl looks pretty, Tink.

TINKERBELL: Huh! (shows off her figure) Compared to me, she looks like a big pudding. (spots Peter’s rolled-up shadow) Look, Peter! She has your shadow!

PETER: Well done, Tink! (tries taking the shadow, but Wendy holds it tight)

WENDY: (murmurs) Mmmm! Peter Pan.

TINKERBELL: The big pudding’s awake!

PETER: No Tink, I think she’s just dreaming about me.

TINKERBELL: Hurry up and get your shadow and then we can leave.

Wendy turns and loosens her hold and Peter eases it from her grasp.

PETER: I’ve got it! Now, find me something to stick it back on with.

TINKERBELL: Like what?

PETER: I don’t know, Tink! Look for something!

TINKERBELL: Fine! (stomps around and picks up a bar of soap) Here, try this soap.

PETER: (sits on floor and tries using soap to stick shadow back on his feet) It won’t stick back on, Tink! Urrrgh! (throws a tantrum, stamping his feet)

WENDY: (wakes) Peter Pan! I’ve just been dreaming about you, and now here you are! (gets out of bed and moves to him) Why are you crying?

PETER: I’m not! I had something in my eye. (heroic stance) Peter Pan, never cries!

WENDY: (to Tink) Are you a fairy?

TINKERBELL: (sarcastic) There’s no fooling you sister.

Peter brings his face close to Wendy’s, staring at her.

WENDY: Don’t you know it’s rude to stare?

PETER: I’m sorry, it’s just that I’ve never seen a normal girl up close before.

TINKERBELL: And what do you think I am, Peter?

PETER: You’re a fairy, Tink. And fairies aren’t normal girls.

WENDY: Gosh! I’ve never met a real fairy before. (touches Tink’s wings)

TINKERBELL: (slaps her away) I’ll thank you not to touch my wings – they crease easily.

WENDY: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any harm.

PETER: What’s your name?

WENDY: Wendy Moira Angela Darling.

TINKERBELL: That’s a silly name for a girl.

WENDY: And what’s your name?

TINKERBELL: None of your business, that’s what.

PETER: Her name’s Tinkerbell.

WENDY: (laughs) And you think my name’s silly?

TINKERBELL: My name is perfectly normal…for a fairy. I’m also Peter’s best friend in the whole wide world. Come on Peter, let’s get back home to the Lost Boys.

WENDY: Who are the Lost Boys?

PETER: They’re children who got lost after falling from their prams when nobody was looking. And because they weren’t claimed in seven days, they now live with us in Neverland.

WENDY: Whereabouts is Neverland?

TINKERBELL: Didn’t you do geography at school, then?

PETER: Ignore her Wendy. Tink knows well that Neverland isn’t on any normal map.

WENDY: I’d love to go somewhere that isn’t on any normal map.

TINKERBELL: Well you can’t, so there! (pokes tongue out)

WENDY: But why can’t I?

TINKERBELL: Because the only way to get to Neverland is to fly there. And you can’t fly because you’re a…(air quotes)…normal girl.

PETER: Tink’s right. The only way to get to Neverland is to fly there.

TINKERBELL: Shame, big puddings can’t fly.

PETER: The Lost Boys would love to have you as their mother, Wendy.

TINKERBELL: I can be their mother if you like, Peter.

PETER: Can you cook, Tink?

TINKERBELL: No, I never learned how.

PETER: Can you sew?

TINKERBELL: Not really.

PETER: Can you read bedtime stories?

TINKERBELL: What’s a bedtime story?

WENDY: I can do all those things.

TINKERBELL: I’d rather fly than do any of those things. You have your shadow Peter, now let’s go.

PETER: But it won’t stick on, Tink!

WENDY: I didn’t think you could lose their shadow.

PETER: I didn’t! It was stolen from me by your daft dog.

WENDY: I could sew it back on for you if you like.

PETER: You’d do that for me?

WENDY: Of course. I’ll just fetch my sewing-kit. (fetches a sewing-kit and ‘sews’ Peter’s shadow back on)

PETER: (shows it off) That’s wonderful! How can I ever thank you Wendy?

WENDY: By taking me to Neverland with you?

TINKERBELL: That’s impossible!

PETER: Nothing’s impossible if you put your mind to it, Tink. Pass me your bag of magic fairy dust.

TINKERBELL: What for?

PETER: I’m going to sprinkle some over Wendy, to enable her to fly like us.

TINKERBELL: All the fairy dust in Neverland, couldn’t make that big pudding fly.

PETER: Don’t be rude Tink and pass me your bag.

TINKERBELL: I think you’re making a big mistake, Peter.

PETER: Peter Pan never make mistakes.

TINKERBELL: There’s a first time for everything.

PETER: Stop being awkward Tink and give me your fairy dust.

TINKERBELL: (hands over a small bag) Here! I’ll fly on ahead and warn the Lost Boys to expect a big pudding for a mother! (climbs through window or flies off)

WENDY: I don’t think she likes me very much.

PETER: Fairies can be very clingy. I’ll sprinkle some of this fairy dust on you, and then you’ll be able to fly with me to Neverland.

WENDY: Can my two brothers come too? I’m sure they’d love it there.

PETER: Of course they can.

WENDY: (waking them) John! Michael! Wake up!

MICHAEL: (sleepily) What is it Wendy?

WENDY: Peter Pan is here!

JOHN: Yeah, sure. (turns over)

PETER: (crows loudly) Cock-a-doodle-do!

JOHN & MICH: (sit up wide-awake) Peter pan!

PETER: Hello boys. How would you like to come to Neverland with us, and fight pirates and Indians?

JOHN & MICH: (wide-eyed) Yes, please!

JOHN: But how will we get there?

PETER: We’ll fly there! (points at window) Second star to the right and straight on until morning!

MICHAEL: Hooray! We’re going to fly to Neverland!

JOHN: I hate to burst your bubble, Michael. But it’s physically impossible for us to fly. It’s a case of weight ratio, versus thermal updrafts and windspeed velocity. People just aren’t aerodynamically equipped to fly, I’m afraid.

WENDY: Neither are bumblebees, but they seem to manage it.

PETER: Well said, Wendy. Now, all of you stand still, while I sprinkle you with fairy dust. (he does so and then drops pouch on the floor) And now, let’s fly!

Music cue 4: Exit all via window or fly up and off (see properties)