Peter Pan Version 2 (Perusal)

Scene One

The Darling’s Nursery

A chair and beds are strategically placed. A large open window is (SR) The Darling Children are playing at pirates. Music cue 1: John and Michael are sword-fighting, John is Hook in oversized costume, hook, moustache, etc. Michael is Peter Pan, and uses a rolled-up umbrella as a sword. Wendy is tied to a chair with loose ropes.

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

Michael (heroic) Don’t worry Wendy. Me and my brave dog will save you! (looks around) Where’s Nana, John?

John I don’t know Michael, but she’s missed her cue again.

Nana bounds on (SR)

Wendy Here she is, now!

Michael (pointing at John) See off Captain Hook, Nana!

Nana (bounds over to John) Woof! Woof! Woof!

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

Nana Woof! Woof! Woof!

Wendy’s ropes fall away and they all dance around, whooping and cheering. Mr and Mrs Darling enter (SL)

Mr Darling What on earth is 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, it’s time to drop anchor and climb into your hammocks, children.

Children Eh!?

Mr Darling That’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 (spots the shadow) What’s that you have in your hand, Wendy?

Wendy(coyly) This? Oh, it’s nothing really.

Michael It’s Peter Pan’s shadow!

Mr Darling (chuckles) Peter Pan’s shadow?

John We think he surreptitiously visits us, to listen to Wendy reading us 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. Doesn’t it George?

Mr Darling Don’t encourage them Mary. Listen children. Peter Pan doesn’t really exist.

Children Oh yes, he does!

Mr Darling Oh no, he doesn’t!

Children (eliciting audience help) Oh yes, he does!

Mr Darling Oh no, he doesn’t!

Wendy We all believe in him. (to audience) Don’t we? (response)

Mrs Darling Let them have their fun George. Now, did you book the taxi to take us to the party?

Mr Darling Of course, I did.

SFX: Car horn.

Mrs Darling That sounds like it now, George. (to Children) Goodnight children.

Mr Darling And be good for Nana, children.

Children We will! Goodnight mother! Goodnight father!

Mrs and Mrs Darling exit (SL)

John They’ve gone. Let’s play pirates again!

With a whoop the children jump off their beds and start to pretend fight again.

Nana (stern, pointing at beds) Woof! Woof!

Michael Can’t we play a bit longer, Nana?

Nana (shakes head) Woof!

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.

The Children settle down to sleep and lights dim. Nana waves to audience and exits (SR) After a short pause. Music cue 2: Tink appears at the window. She enters (or flies in) the room and tiptoes to each bed in turn, checking on the occupants. Music cue 3: Peter Pan suddenly appears at the window.

Peter (whispers) Are they all asleep yet, Tink?

Tinkerbell (whispers) Yes, Peter.

Peter Pan enters (or flies in) the room.

Peter Then let’s hurry and find it, before they wake. (pointing at Wendy) I say! She looks very pretty, Tink.

Tinkerbell Huh! (shows off her figure) Compared to me, she looks like a big pudding. (spots the rolled-up shadow in Wendy’s arms – points) She has your shadow, Peter!

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, that’s all.

Tinkerbell (tetchy) 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?

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 the soap to stick shadow back on his feet) It won’t stick back on, Tink! (frustrated, he throws a tantrum, stamping his feet) Urrrgh!

Wendy wakes and sits bolt upright.

Wendy Peter Pan! I’ve just been dreaming about you, and now here you are! (climbs out of bed and looks closely at him) But why are you crying?

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

Wendy (to Tink) Are you a fairy?

Tinkerbell (sarcastic) You’re a bright spark, aren’t you?

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

Wendy Don’t you know it’s rude to stare?

Peter Sorry, it’s just that I’ve never seen a normal girl up close before.

Tinkerbell And what do you think I am?

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

Wendy (touching Tink’s wings) Gosh! I’ve never met a real fairy before.

Tinkerbell I’ll thank you not to touch my wings. They crease easily.

Wendy I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any harm.

Peter What is your name?

Wendy My name is, 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 It’s, Tinkerbell.

Wendy (laughs) Tinkerbell! 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 fell out of their prams when nobody was looking, and got lost. And because nobody claimed them within seven days. They now live with us in Neverland.

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

Tinkerbell Didn’t you do geography at school?

Peter Ignore Tink, Wendy. She knows full well that Neverland is not 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! (sticks 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, you being a…(air quotes)…normal girl.

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

Tinkerbell (to Wendy) Shame big puddings can’t fly, isn’t it?

Peter (to Wendy) 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 Well…no.

Peter Can you sew?

Tinkerbell Not really.

Peter Can you read bedtime stories?

Tinkerbell You know that fairies can’t read.

Wendy (proudly) I can do all of those things.

Tinkerbell That’s all well-and-good, Miss Smarty-pants. But can you fly?

Wendy Of course, I can’t fly.

Tinkerbell Then you can never go to Neverland. You have your shadow Peter, now let’s go.

Peter But it won’t stick on, Tink!

Wendy I could sew it back on for you, if you like.

Peter You’d do that for me?

Wendy Yes, Peter. Just sit on the end of my bed and I’ll fetch my sewing-kit.

Peter sits on the bed and Wendy brings out a sewing needle and thread and sews on the shadow.

Peter (stands and shows off his shadow) That’s wonderful! (to Shadow) Now stay put shadow! (to Wendy) How can I ever thank you, Wendy?

Wendy By taking me to Neverland with you?

Tinkerbell But that’s impossible! Isn’t it, Peter?

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 I doubt all the fairy-dust in Neverland, could make that big pudding fly.

Peter Don’t be so rude, Tink. Now pass me your bag.

Tinkerbell All right! But I think you’re making a big mistake.

Peter Peter Pan never make mistakes.

Tinkerbell (hands over a small pouch) Here, take it! 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 Ignore her, Wendy. 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 (disbelieving) Yeah, right. (turns over)

Peter (crows loudly) Cock-a-doodle-do!

John & Michael (suddenly become wide-awake and sit up) Peter pan!

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

John & Michael (wide-eyed) Yes please!

John But how do we get there?

Peter We fly there, of course! (pointing) First star on the right and right on ‘til morning!

Michael Yeah! We’re going to fly to Neverland!

John (to Michael & Wendy) I hate to burst your bubble, but it’s not technically feasible for us to fly. It’s a case of weight ratio and arm strength, versus thermal updrafts and wind-speed velocity. People just aren’t aerodynamically equipped to fly.

Wendy Neither are bumble-bees, but they seem to manage it all right.

Peter Well said, Wendy. Now, all of you stand still, while I sprinkle you with fairy-dust. (he does so) Now let’s fly!