Peter Pan. Story by J.M. Barrie

Transcription

1 Peter Pan Story by J.M. Barrie 1

2 Cast List: Wendy John Michael Mr. Darling Mrs. Darling Peter Pan Slightly Tootles Curly Nibs Twin #1 Twin #2 Hook Smee Starkey Bill Jukes Cecco Mullins Noodler (Alfie) Tiger Lily Jane Possible doubling option: Actor 1: Peter Pan Actor 2: Wendy Actor 3: Mr. Darling/Hook/Mermaid Actor 4: Michael/Nibs/Neverbird/Pirate Actor 5: John/Curly/Neverbird/Pirate Actor 6: Mrs. Darling/Smee/Twins/Jane Actor 7: Tootles/Starkey/Noodler Actor 8: Slightly/Tiger Lily/ Neverbird/Jukes/Cecco/Mullins 2

3 Prologue (Darkness, with stars. The actors play like children to bring the world alive. The following narration is spoken by various individual members of the ENSEMBLE, as young Wendy and Mrs. Darling enact the little scene in the garden.) ENSEMBLE All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this: One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried: MRS. DARLING Oh, why can't you stay like this forever! ENSEMBLE This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end. Scene 1 The Shadow Goes Missing The Nursery of the Darling Home. Nana, the dog and nursemaid, is carrying Michael on her back, and attempting to carry him out to have a bath. John and Wendy are pretending to be their own parents, as Mrs. Darling watches. MICHAEL I won't go to bed! I won't, I won't! Nana, it isn't six o'clock yet. Oh dear, oh dear, I shan't love you any more, Nana. I tell you I won't be bathed! I won't, I won't! JOHN A little less noise there Oh John, you sound just like father! JOHN I am happy to inform you, Mrs. Darling, that you are now a mother. Oh, happy day! I shall call her Wendy. 3

4 JOHN I say, I am even happier to inform you, Mrs. Darling, that you are now the mother of a male child, as well. Sweet little John! MICHAEL May I be born also? JOHN No! We don't want any more. MICHAEL Nobody wants me. MRS. DARLING I do. I so want a third child. MICHAEL Boy or girl? MRS. DARLING Boy. (Michael leaps into Mrs. Darling's arms, as Mr. Darling rushes in like a tornado.) MR. DARLING Mother! Mother! MRS. DARLING Why what is the matter, father dear? MR. DARLING Matter? This tie, it will not tie. Not round my neck! Round the bedpost! Oh yes, twenty times have I made it up round the bedpost, but round my neck, no! Oh dear no! Begs to be excused! 4

5 MRS. DARLING Now, George MR. DARLING I warn you of this, mother, that unless this tie is round my neck we don't go out to dinner tonight, and if I don't go out to dinner tonight, I never go to the office again, and if I don't go to the office again, you and I starve, and our children will be flung into the streets. MRS. DARLING Let me try, dear. (As their children watch their fate being decided, Mrs. Darling ties the tie.) MR. DARLING Thank you, love. Now where is my littlest boy? (Mr. Darling dances round the room with Michael on his back, only to collide with Nana.) MR. DARLING Oh, dash it all Nana - you have covered my trousers with hair. I'm sure she didn't mean to, father! MR. DARLING And these are not only new trousers, but they are the first I have ever had with braid on them! (He bites his lip to prevent the tears from coming.) MRS. DARLING There, there, George - just hold still. (Mrs. Darling brushes off the hairs.) MR. DARLING Sometimes I think it was a mistake to have a dog as a nurse. 5

6 MRS. DARLING George, Nana is a treasure. MR. DARLING No doubt, but I have an uneasy feeling at times that she looks upon the children as puppies. MRS. DARLING Oh no, dear one, I'm sure she knows that they have souls. MR. DARLING I wonder, I wonder. MRS. DARLING George, dear, never mind that - I have been wanting to show you something peculiar. I believe that while they sleep, our children have been receiving an uninvited visitor. MR. DARLING What nonsense you talk, precious. No one can get into the house without knocking. MRS. DARLING I know, George. But last week, Nana had just returned from her evening out, and sprang at a strange boy, who simply leapt through the window. Nana closed it quickly, too late to catch him, but his shadow had no time to get out - slam went the window and snapped it off. MR. DARLING Let us have a look, then. MRS. DARLING You may be sure that I examined the shadow carefully, but it is quite the ordinary kind. (Mr. and Mrs. Darling unroll the shadow and examine it together.) MR. DARLING 6

7 It is nobody I know, but it does look a scoundrel (During this time, Nana has brought in a bottle of medicine for Michael, who cries out:) MICHAEL I don't want any medicine, Nana! MR. DARLING Be a man, Michael. MICHAEL Won't; won't! MRS. DARLING Here, my dear - let me fetch you a chocolate. (Mrs. Darling and Nana exit together) MR. DARLING Mother, don't pamper him. Michael, when I was your age I took medicine without a murmur. I said, "Thank you, kind parents, for giving me bottles to make me well." That medicine you sometimes take, father, is much nastier, isn't it? MR. DARLING Ever so much nastier, and I would take it now as an example to you, Michael, if I hadn't lost the bottle. I know where it is, father! I'll bring it MR. DARLING John, it's the most beastly stuff. It's that nasty, sticky, sweet kind. JOHN It will soon be over, father. 7

8 (Wendy enters with the bottle.) I have been as quick as I could MR. DARLING You have been wonderfully quick. Michael first. MICHAEL Father first. MR. DARLING I shall be sick, you know. JOHN Come on, father. MR. DARLING Hold your tongue, John. I thought you took it quite easily, father. MR. DARLING That is not the point. The point is, that there is more in my glass than in Michael's spoon. And it isn't fair: I would say it though it were with my last breath; it isn't fair. MICHAEL Father's a cowardly custard. MR. DARLING So are you a cowardly custard. MICHAEL I'm not frightened. MR. DARLING Neither am I frightened. 8

9 MICHAEL Well, then take it. MR. DARLING Well, then, you take it. Why not both take it at the same time? MR. DARLING Certainly. Are you ready, Michael? One, two, three! (Michael takes his medicine, but Mr. Darling slips his behind his back.) MICHAEL Not fair! JOHN Bad form! O, father! MR. DARLING What do you mean 'O father'? Stop that row, Michael. I meant to take mine, but I - I missed it. (The three children give him a dreadful look - just as if they did not admire him.) MR. DARLING Look here, all of you, I have just thought of a splendid joke. I shall pour my medicine into Nana's bowl, and she will drink it, thinking it is milk! (The children look at him reproachfully as he pours the medicine into Nana's bowl.) 9

10 MR. DARLING What fun! (Mrs. Darling and Nana enter.) MR. DARLING Nana, good dog. I have put a little milk into your bowl, Nana. (Nana wags her tail, runs to the medicine, and begins lapping it. Then she gives Mr. Darling such a look, not an angry look: she shows him the great red tear that makes us so sorry for noble dogs, and creeps into her kennel.) MRS. DARLING O George, it's your medicine! MR. DARLING It was only a joke! (Mrs. Darling comforts her boys, while Wendy hugs Nana.) MR. DARLING Much good, my wearing myself to the bone trying to be funny in this house. That's right, coddle her! Nobody coddles me. Oh dear no! I am only the breadwinner, why should I be coddled - -why, why, why! MRS. DARLING George, not so loud; the servants will hear you. MR. DARLING Let them! Bring in the whole world. But I refuse to allow that dog to lord it in my nursery for an hour longer. CHILDREN Father, no! MR. DARLING In vain, in vain! The proper place for you is the yard, and there you go to be tied up this instant. 10

11 MRS. DARLING George, remember what I told you about that boy. MR. DARLING My mind is made up! There can be only one master in this house! (Mr. Darling seizes Nana, and drags her from the nursery. We can hear Nana barking as Mrs. Darling puts the children to bed.) MICHAEL Nana is unhappy! Listen to her bark JOHN It is because he is chaining her up in the yard That is not Nana's unhappy bark - that is her bark when she smells danger. MRS. DARLING Are you sure, Wendy? Oh, yes. (Mrs. Darling checks the window to make sure that it is securely fastened.) MRS. DARLING Oh, how I wish I wasn't going out to dinner tonight. MICHAEL Can anything harm us, mother, after the night-lights are lit? MRS. DARLING Nothing, precious - they are the eyes a mother leaves behind to guard her children. MICHAEL Mother, I'm glad of you. (Mrs. Darling kisses her children and gives a last look round the room - her hand 11

12 on the light switch.) MRS DARLING Dear night lights that protect my sleeping babes, burn clear and steadfast tonight. (Mrs. Darling turns the lights off and exits, leaving the night-lights twinkling over the sleeping children). Scene 2 Peter Looks for his Shadow Three night lights are burning. Slowly they go out. There is an odd atmosphere in the room. Then a light appears very bright and very small. It darts and flits around the nursery- searching for something. It goes in drawers, in the wardrobe, inside pockets of dressing gowns etc. Suddenly the curtains billow and Peter Pan drops into the room. (Whispers) Tinker Bell! Tink! Where are you? (The light darts around the room again) Come out of that jug. Now where have they put it? (There s a tinkle) Which box? (Another tinkle) That big box over there? (He goes to the chest of drawers) Got you! (He takes out his shadow but he has to wrestle with it and tame it. He succeeds and sits on the floor trying to attach it to himself. He tries to make it stick by using a bar of soap. But it won t fix. He starts to cry. Wendy wakes up and sits up in her bed and sees him.) Boy, why are you crying? (Peter quickly stands up and courteously bows to her.) What s your name? Wendy Moira Angela Darling. What s yours? Peter Pan. 12

13 Is that all? Yes. I m so sorry. It doesn t matter. Where do you live? Second to the right and straight on till morning. What a funny address. No it isn t. I mean is that what they put on your letters? (contemptuously) Don t get any letters. But your Mother gets letters? Don t have a mother. No wonder you were crying. 13

14 I wasn t crying about mothers. I was crying because I can t get my shadow to stick on. Besides, I wasn't crying. It s come off? Yes. That s awful! Did you try to stick it on with soap? How exactly like a boy! It must be sewn back on. What s sewn? I ll do it for you. (She fetches a sewing kit) But it might hurt a little. I never cry. (Wendy sews the shadow on to Peter. Peter leaps to his feet and jumps about in the wildest glee.) How clever I am! Of course, I did nothing. You did a little. A little! 14

15 (Wendy jumps into bed and covers her face with the sheet. Peter follows her.) Wendy, don t go away. I can t help crowing when I m pleased with myself. Wendy? Wendy, one girl is more useful than twenty boys. Wendy peeps out of the bed Do you really think so, Peter? I do. That s perfectly sweet of you. I ll get up again. (Wendy gets up. She and Peter are sitting side by side on the bed.) I'll give you a kiss, if you like. What s that? Surely you know what a kiss is? I ll know it when you give it to me. (She goes to kiss him and sees his innocence and so gives Peter a thimble instead.) Now will I give you a kiss? Yes please. 15

16 (Wendy leans primly forward to him. Peter removes an acorn button from his jacket and drops it in her hand. She slowly leans back.) I shall wear this kiss around my neck (She places it on her chain) Peter, how old are you? (Uneasily) I don t know. But I m quite young. I ran away the day I was born. You ran away? I heard my parents talking about what I was to be when I became a man. (Passionately) I want to be a little boy forever and have fun. So I ran away from home and lived a long time among the fairies. (With admiration) Oh, Peter, tell me everything about fairies. You see, Wendy, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. So there ought to be one fairy for every boy and girl. Ought to be? Isn't there? No. You see, children know such a lot now, they soon don t believe in fairies. And every time a child says, I don t believe in fairies, there s a fairy somewhere that falls down dead. (He gets up quickly) I can t think where s she s gone to. (Calling) Tinker Bell! Come out you naughty fairy. (Thrilled) Peter, are you saying there s one in my room? 16

17 She was here just now. You don t hear her do you? (They both listen and hear a faint sound) All I can hear is a tinkle of bells. That s Tink. That's the fairy language. I think I hear her, too. Tink! (Peter tries to find the source of the noise. He comes to the chest of drawers. He starts to laugh.) Wendy, I ve shut her in the drawer. (Peter opens the drawer and a light flies about in a fury making all sorts of ugly noises.) Of course I m sorry. I didn t know you were in there. Oh Peter, can you get her to stand still? I d love to see her. They hardly ever stand still. Where is she? Look. There. (Tinker Bell rests for a moment and Wendy looks closely at her.) Oh how lovely! 17

18 Tink, this lady wishes you were her fairy. (Tinker Bell answers) What did she say? She's not very polite. She says you are a great ugly girl, and that she s my fairy. (To Tink) Tink, I m a gentleman and you re a lady so you can t be my fairy. (Tinker Bell responds.) What did she say now? You silly ass. (Tinker Bell flies off.) She s quite common. (Apologizing) She s called Tinker Bell because she mends the pots and kettles. So where do you live now? With the Lost Boys. And who are they? They are the children who fall out of their carriages when no one s looking. If they re not claimed in seven days, they find themselves in Neverland. I m Captain. 18

19 You must have so much fun. Yes - it s great fun. But we re so lonely. You see, we have no female companionship. No girls? Oh no girls are far too clever to fall out of their carriages. It s so sweet the way you talk about girls, Peter. John there hates us. (Peter goes to John asleep in his bed, looks at him then tips him out onto the floor. He remains asleep.) Hey! You might be captain in Neverland but not in this house. (Wendy sees that John is still asleep.) I know you meant to be kind, so I ll let you give me a kiss. I thought you d want it back (He gives her the thimble) Oh dear. I don t mean a kiss, I mean a thimble. What s that? It s like this. 19

20 (Wendy goes to give Peter a kiss. Suddenly Wendy screams.) What is it? Someone pulled my hair. Tink! I ve never seen her so badly behaved before. (Tinker Bell is darting around furiously.) What? She says she s going to do that to you every time I give you a thimble. But why? Why, Tink? (Tinker Bell answers.) She says You silly ass. She s very rude. Peter, why did you come to our nursery window? To listen to the stories. We don t know any. How perfectly awful! Do you know why swallows build in the eaves of houses? It is to listen to the 20

21 stories. Oh, Wendy, your mother was telling you such a lovely story. Which one? About the prince who couldn t find the lady who wore the glass slipper. Peter, that was Cinderella. What happened? He found her, and they lived happily ever after. (Peter gets up and rushes to the window.) Where are you going? To tell the other boys. Don t go Peter. I know lots of other stories. I could tell you and the boys so many of them. (Peter grabs her.) What are you doing? Wendy, come and fly with me. Fly? 21

22 Fly with me and tell the other boys. Oh dear. I can t. What about mother. Besides I can t fly. I ll teach you. To fly? I ll teach you to jump on the wind s back and away we ll go. Oh! Wendy, just think - when you re sleeping in your bed, you could be out flying with me instead, touching the stars. Oh! And Wendy - there are mermaids. Mermaids? I ve never seen a mermaid. Wendy, how we would all respect you. You could tuck us in at night. None of us have ever been tucked in at night. And tell us stories. Peter, would you teach John and Michael to fly, too? 22

23 If you like. (To Michael and John) Wake up! Wake up. Peter Pan is here and he s going to teach us to fly. JOHN What? Is he? Then I ll get up. Oh I am up. The storyteller playing Nana barks it is very urgent - scared. PAN Quickly! It's all right. She's chained up in the yard. JOHN Can you really fly? Of course I can. (He flies.) How sweet! Yes, I am sweet! JOHN So how do you do it? You just think lovely wonderful thoughts and they lift you up into the air. Now let your minds go free - see those wonderful things and let go Michael flies. 23

24 MICHAEL I flewed! I flewed! JOHN It s so exciting! Now quickly, come to the window. (They do) Look at the stars they re calling to us, the moon will guide us to the fairies and mermaids JOHN Fairies? I don t think we should go. PAN And pirates. JOHN Pirates? Wendy, let s go now! Yes, let s go Peter. Then come! (Wendy, Peter, John and Michael are at the window and suddenly they fly away into the night. Mrs. Darling comes running into the nursery out of breath.) MRS DARLING My children! (The storytellers run into the space. During the following, the storytellers change the space quickly. The large window curtains disappear and the sheets of the bed fly into the air. Peter, Wendy, John and Michael travel to Neverland. They slowly approach it it is a land of shadow.) ENSEMBLE Of all delectable islands, the Neverland is the snuggest and most compact, not large and sprawly, you know, with tedious distances between one 24

25 adventure and another, but nicely crammed. When you play at it by day with chairs and tablecloth, it is not in the least alarming, but in the two minutes before you go to sleep it becomes very real. That is why there are night-lights. On these magic shores, children at play are for ever beaching their little boats. We too have been there; we can still hear the sound of the surf, though we shall land no more. Scene 3 The Pirates Arrive and the Boys Shoot Wendy. The actors start singing - they are playing at being pirates. PIRATES Yo-ho, yo-ho, the pirate life The flag o skull and bones, a merry hour, a hempen rope And hey for Davy Jones. Avast belay, you-ho, heave to A-pirating we go, And if we re parted by a shot We re sure to meet below! (Their playing and singing seems to conjure up shadow silhouettes of pirates - a motley crew of dastardly villains: Cecco, Bill Jukes, Gentleman Starkey, Noodler, Mullins, Alfie and Smee. We suddenly see a large iron hook. At the end of the hook is revealed an arm and its owner Captain James Hook. His hair is black and curly, his face handsome, threatening and his eyes - pure evil. Alfie clumsily bumps into Captain Hook.) ALFIE Sorry Captain. (The crew takes a sharp intake of breath. Captain Hook says nothing. His hook shoots forth. There is a tearing sound and one screech. Two red spots appear in Capt Hook s eyes. Alfie falls to the floor and his body is kicked aside. 25

26 A new face is seen it is a Lost Boy. Gentleman Starkey sees him and quickly draws a pistol and aims. Capt Hook swiftly grips his shoulder with his hook.) STARKEY Captain, let go. (Threateningly) Put back that pistol. STARKEY But it was one of those lost boys you hate. I could have shot him dead. Aye, and the sound would have brought Tiger Lily and her redskins upon us. Do you want to lose your scalp? SMEE Shall I after him Captain and tickle him with Johnny Corkscrew (he brandishes his cutlass and wriggles it around) Johnny s a silent fellow. Not now, Smee. He is only one, and I want to mischief them all. Look for them scatter! (Suddenly the Pirates have scattered among the trees. Smee and Hook are alone.) (A heavy sigh) Most of all, I want their captain, Peter Pan. Twas he who cut off my arm. (Presenting the hook) I ve waited long to shake his hand with this. Oh, I ll tear him to shreds. SMEE And yet I ve often heard you say that your hook is worth a score of hands - for combing your hair, and for chores around the house. (Looking at his hook and hand) Aye, if I was a mother I would pray to have my children born with this instead of that. That boy Pan flung my arm to a crocodile. 26

27 SMEE Yes, I have often noticed your strange dread of crocodiles. Not of crocodiles but of that one crocodile. It liked my arm so much Smee, that it has followed me ever since, licking its lips for the rest of me. SMEE I guess in a way, it s a sort of compliment. I want no such compliments. I want Peter Pan, who first gave this brute its taste for me. (There is a large mushroom on the forest floor. Capt Hook sits on it.) Smee. That crocodile would have had me before this, but by a lucky chance it swallowed a clock that goes tick tick inside it and so before it can reach me I hear the tick and bolt for it. Someday, Smee, the clock will run down. SMEE And then he ll get you. Aye that s the fear that haunts me. (Aware his bottom is getting hot) Smee, this seat is hot. Odds, bobs, hammer and tongs, I m burning. (They examine the mushroom. They pull at it and it comes away in their hands. Smoke begins to rise from it.) SMEE A chimney! (We hear children s voices chattering. Hook and Smee quietly replace the mushroom.) 27

28 I do believe we ve stumbled upon a jolly jackpot! SMEE The boy s home. (Excited) And did you hear them say Peter Pan s away. (Silence. Hook nods. Then a smile comes across his face.) SMEE Unrip your plan, captain. (Through gritted, smiling teeth) Did you hear a mother s voice down there? No. Of course, why didn t I think of this before. We will return to the ship and cook a large rich cake of jolly thickness with green sugar on it. We will leave the cake on the shore of the mermaids lagoon. These boys are always swimming about there, playing with the mermaids. They will find the cake and they will gobble it up, because, having no mother, they don t know how dangerous tis to eat rich damp cake. (He laughs) Aha, they will die. SMEE It s the wickedest, prettiest policy ever I heard of. (They dance and sing) SMEE/ Avast, belay, when I appear By fear they re overtook: Naught s left upon your bones when you Have shaken claws with Hook. (Their celebration is interrupted. A quiet sound is heard - tick, tick, tick, tick. Hook stands shuddering, one foot in the air mid dance.) The crocodile! (Hook and Smee run for it. We then see a huge crocodile ooze into view which follows them off. 28

29 Then from a hole in a tree a Lost Boy emerges. It is Slightly. He looks around to see if it is safe. Another boy emerges Tootles. Then another Curly. Then more The Twins.) TOOTLES Any pirates? SLIGHTLY No. It s all safe. TOOTLES Any sign of Peter? SLIGHTLY No, Tootles. TOOTLES I do wish he d come back SLIGHTLY Yes. I wish he d come back and tell us whether he has heard anything more about Cinderella. CURLY I m sure my mother must have been like her. TOOTLES All I remember about my mother is that she often said to father, Oh how I wish I had a cheque-book of my own. I don t know what a cheque-book is but I would love to be able to give my mother one. (Nibs another Lost Boy enters running.) NIBS (Breathless) Save me! Save me! Wolves are coming after me! TOOTLES (Panicking) What can we do? 29

30 CURLY What would Peter do? SLIGHTLY Peter would look at them through his legs TOOTLES Then let us do what Peter would do. (The boys look through their legs and with a whimper the wolves run away.) SLIGHTLY Aye. That s the way to deal with wolves. (The boys continue as if nothing happened.) NIBS But I have seen a wonderfuller thing. A great white bird flying this way. CURLY What kind of bird? NIBS I don t know but it looks so tired, and as it flies it moans, Poor Wendy. TOOTLES Poor Wendy? SLIGHTLY I remember. There are birds called Wendys. CURLY (Pointing) See it comes. (Wendy appears. She is calm and peaceful. Suddenly Tink enters.) TOOTLES Hello Tink. (Tinker bell speaks) You want us to shoot the Wendy. Peter says to shoot it? 30

31 SLIGHTLY Then let us do what Peter wants. NIBS Quick Tootles, quick. You re bow and arrow. TOOTLES Out of the way, Tink. (Tootles fits the arrow to his bow. He fires and hits Wendy, as she flutters to the ground with an arrow in her heart.) TOOTLES I have shot the Wendy. Peter will be so pleased with me. (Tinker bell starts to laugh and says, Silly Ass and quickly hides. The boys crowd around Wendy to look.) SLIGHTLY This isn t a bird. I think it s a lady. TOOTLES A lady? NIBS And we ve killed her. CURLY Now I see. Peter was bringing her to us. TWINS At last a lady to take care of us and you ve killed her. (Tootles step towards the boys but they shun him.) TOOTLES I did it. Friends, in all these years I have thought of ladies with loving respect and when they came to me in dreams I said Pretty Mother. But when at last 31

32 a lady came, I shot her. Oh, now may my mother never again come to me, even in my dreams, lest in her heart I see an arrow which I have fired. Friends, goodbye. (He goes to leave) CURLY Don t go. TOOTLES I must. I am so afraid of Peter. (Suddenly there is a crowing sound it is Peter.) BOYS Peter! CURLY Hide her. (All the boys gather around Wendy except Tootles. Peter enters.) Greetings, boys! (The boys salute) I am back. Why don t you cheer? (The boys open their mouths but nothing comes out.) Great news, boys. At last, I ve brought a mother for you all. Have you seen her? She flew this way. NIBS Oh dear. TOOTLES Peter. Let me show her to you. Stand back let Peter see. (The boys stand back Peters stares. Silence.) 32

33 She s dead. Perhaps she s frightened at being dead. (He plucks the arrow from her. Then sternly) Whose arrow is this? TOOTLES Mine Peter. (Peter raises the arrow to strike Tootles as if it were a dagger.) TOOTLES Strike, Peter. Strike true. (Peter struggles with striking Tootles. Before he backs down, Wendy gently stirs, grabbing Peter s arm, preventing him from striking.) NIBS Look! The Wendy lady see her arm. (He kneels over her - listening) She said something. I think she said, Poor Tootles She lives. NIBS The Wendy lady lives. (Peter examines Wendy and the chain around her neck.) See. The arrow struck against this. It s the kiss I gave her. It s saved her life. SLIGHTLY I remember kisses. Let me see it. Aye, that s a kiss. (Tinker Bell has returned and is now crying) CURLY Listen to Tink. She s crying because the Wendy lives. 33

34 Crying because she lives? CURLY It was Tink who told us to shoot the Wendy. TWINS She said it was your orders. Tinker Bell, is this true? (Tinker Bell confesses.) Then I am your friend no more. Begone from me forever. (Tinker Bell flies to Peter s shoulder and pleads with him. Wendy again raises her arm, and Peter relents.) Well, not forever, but for a whole week. (Tinker Bell retreats unhappily.) TWINS So what do we do with the Wendy lady? CURLY Let us carry her down into the house. SLIGHTLY Indeed. That is what you do with ladies. No. You must not touch her. It would not be very respectful. SLIGHTLY Exactly. That s what I was thinking. 34

35 TOOTLES But if she lies here, she will die. SLIGHTLY Aye, she will die. There s no way out. Yes there is. Let us build a little house around her. (The boys are pleased with this idea) Quick. Each of you bring me the best of what you can find. Be sharp. (John and Michael enter - both a little confused and bedraggled.) JOHN We re here. There you are, Peter - We thought we d lost you. Is this the place? PAN (As if he s forgotten all about him) Mmm. Yes. MICHAEL Where s Wendy? (Peter points) Is she sleeping? Curly. See that these boys help with the building of the house. CURLY Aye, aye, Sir. JOHN Build a house? CURLY For the Wendy. JOHN But she s only a girl. CURLY And that is why we are her servants. 35

36 JOHN You? Wendy s servants? PAN Yes, and you too. (Curly leads John and Michael to work with the other boys building a house. They measure Wendy to see that she ll fit in the house.) SLIGHTLY Ah yes, this is how a house is built it s all coming back to me. Slightly fetch a doctor. SLIGHTLY Aye aye (He walks away, takes John's hat, then returns after a moment) Please sir, are you a doctor? SLIGHTLY Yes, my man. A lady lies very ill. SLIGHTLY (Standing over Wendy) Tut, tut, tut. Where does she lie? In yonder glade. SLIGHTLY I will put a glass thing in her mouth. (He does so and there s an anxious moment of waiting for the result.) 36

37 How is she? SLIGHTLY Tut, tut, tut. This has cured her. I m so glad. SLIGHTLY I ll call again in the evening. Give her beef tea out of a cup with a spout. (He returns the hat to John and immediately hyperventilates with fear and relief.) TWINS If only we knew the kind of house she likes best. Look! She s moving in her sleep. TOOTLES Her mouth s opening. Sing the kind of house you would like to have. (Singing) I wish I had a pretty house The littlest ever seen, With funny little red walls And a roof of mossy green. BOYS (Singing) We ve built the walls and roof And made a lovely door So tell us mother 37

38 Wendy, What are you wanting more? Oh, really, next I think I ll have Gay windows all about With roses peeping in, you know And babies peeping out (The Boys quickly make the windows and curtains.) (Sternly) Roses! (The boys make-believe the loveliest roses growing up the wall.) TOOTLES Babies? BOYS (Singing) We ve made the roses peeping out The babies are at the door, We cannot make ourselves, you know, Cos we ve been made before. (The house is nearly completed around about Wendy. Peter examines the nearlyfinished product.) There s no knocker at the door. (Tootles gives the sole of his shoe) And there s no chimney. We must have a chimney. (Peter takes John's hat and punches a hole through its top and puts it on the roof. 38

39 Smoke immediately comes out.) Now look your best everybody. First impressions are very important. (Peter politely knocks on the door of the house. Pause. The door opens and Wendy comes out. The boys take off their hats.) Where am I? SLIGHTLY Wendy lady, for you we built this house. NIBS Oh say you re pleased. What a lovely, darling house TWINS And we are your children. BOYS Oh Wendy lady, please be our mother. My goodness! Oh... But I m only a little girl. I have no real experience. That doesn t matter. What we need is a nice motherly person. Oh dear! You see I fear that is exactly what I am. SLIGHTLY It is! NIBS 39

40 It is! BOYS We saw it at once. Very well, I ll do my best. (in a motherly manner) Get inside at once, you naughty children. I am sure your feet are damp. And before I put you to bed I have just enough time to finish the story of Cinderella. (The boys all enter the house. We see inside the house a bright light shining through the window and the chimney smoking beautifully. Meanwhile outside, Peter keeps watch, sword drawn. We see in the woods around the house wolves eyes, we hear pirates carousing far away.) Scene 4 - The Mermaids Lagoon ENSEMBLE Shut your eyes, and if you are a lucky one, you may see at times a shapeless pool of lovely pale colors suspended in the darkness; then if you squeeze your eyes tighter, the pool begins to take shape, and the colors become so vivid that with another squeeze they must go on fire. But just before they go on fire you see the lagoon. This is the nearest you ever get to it on the mainland, just one heavenly moment; if there could be two moments you might see the surf and hear the mermaids singing. The moon is in the sky and strange wailing cries can be heard. We see a large rock in the middle of the lagoon Marooner s Rock. It is not much larger than a great bed. Wendy, Peter, John, Michael and The Boys are on it. The boys are playing follow the leader. Wendy is leaning into the water. Suddenly a mermaid glides out of the water and with a flick of her tail splashes Wendy. There s one. She s so beautiful. I nearly touched her. It s very famous here you know. Marooner s Rock. It s where sailors are left by their evil captains. They re tied up, and as the sea rises, the rock gets covered in water and then they drown slowly and painfully. 40

41 SLIGHTLY Dear mother, may I please have another swim? Now Slightly, you know it is my duty as your mother to ensure that you rest for half an hour after your mid-day meal. MICHAEL You never let us swim when we want to, Mother. Michael, surely you know that I'm not your real mother? MICHAEL Then who is? JOHN I daresay I once knew your real mother, Michael. Oh, dear. John. Michael. I do think it is time for another examination. TOOTLES Oh, this awfully interesting. Question 1: What was the color of Mother's eyes? Question 2: Which was taller, Father or Mother? Question 3: Was Mother blonde or brunette? Answer all three questions if possible. JOHN What do I do if I can't answer one the questions? If you must, just make a cross. Now, for the essay question: Write an essay of not less than 40 words on How I Spent my Last Holidays, or the Characters of Father and Mother compared. Only one of these to be attempted. 41

42 (Peter quickly stands alert. Motionless. One hand to his ear. He looks across the lagoon.) Pirates! (They all quickly hide but watching. A boat draws near it is a dinghy with Smee, Starkey and Tiger Lily. Though Tiger Lily is tied up her face is impassive. They haven t seen the rock and crash into it.) SMEE Luff, you lubber, here s the rock. Now then, what we have to do is to hoist the redskin on to it, and leave her here to drown. STARKEY This is your prize Tiger Lily for sneaking around our ship with a knife in your mouth. TIGER LILY I am the daughter of Great Big Little Panther. I live the life of a Chief s Daughter. I die the life of a Chief s Daughter. SMEE (Pause) Fair enough. Put her on the rock, Mr. Starkey. (He lifts her from the boat) STARKEY Not so rough, Smee. Roughish. But not so rough. We must never forget our manners. SMEE But the captain ordered it. (Out loud) Poor Tiger Lily! STARKEY Did you hear something? 42

43 (Imitating Hook) Ahoy there you lubbers! SMEE The captain. STARKEY He must be swimming out to us. SMEE (Calling out to sea) We re just putting the Indian girl on the rock as you commanded. Set her free. SMEE Free!? Yes, cut the ropes and let her go. SMEE But captain... At once, do you hear me? Or I ll plunge my hook in you. SMEE This is queer. STARKEY (Nervously) Better do what the captain says. SMEE Aye, aye. (He cuts the ropes and Tiger Lily slips into the water. Wendy and Peter are delighted 43

44 with this plan. Peter begins to crow with pride. Wendy quickly covers his mouth. Another voice is heard in the lagoon it is Hook.) Boat ahoy! Boat ahoy! Captain Hook arrives on Marooners Rock. SMEE Captain, is everything alright? (Hook moans.) SMEE He sighs. (Hook moans.) STARKEY He sighs again. (Hook moans.) SMEE And now a third time he sighs. What s up, captain? The game s up. Those boys have found a mother. STARKEY Oh evil day! I placed the poisoned cake in one cunning spot after another; but always the mother snatches it from the hands of her children, so that in time it has lost its succulence, and has become as hard as a stone. SMEE What s a mother? 44

45 He doesn t know! (Peter quickly pulls her down and covers her mouth.) What was that? (The pirates peer into the gloom with their lanterns.) STARKEY I heard nothing. (There floating across the water is a nest with a Never Bird sitting on it.) Look, Smee that is a mother. See that nest - it must have fallen into the water but would the mother desert her eggs? No! (He looks sad for a moment and brushes it away with his hook) SMEE Captain, could we not kidnap the boys mother and make her our mother? What a princely scheme! We will seize the children and carry them to the boat. The boys we will make walk the plank and Wendy shall be our mother. Never! What was that? (They look again out to the lagoon but see nothing.) SMEE Must have been a leaf in the wind. 45

46 Do you agree, my bullies? SMEE There is my hand on it. STARKEY And mine. And there is my hook. Swear. SMEE/STARKEY (Frightened) We swear. Good. Now where is the redskin? SMEE It s alright captain, we let her go. Let her go! SMEE Twas your own orders. STARKEY You called over the water to us to let her go. Brimstone and gall, what cozening is here? Lads, I gave no such orders. SMEE It is passing queer. Spirit that haunts this dark lagoon tonight, do you hear me? 46

47 (Mimicking Hook) Odds, bobs, hammer and tongs, I hear you. (Smee and Starkey cling to each other in terror. Hook stands stoically.) Who are you, stranger? Speak. I am James Hook, captain of the Jolly Roger You are not! Brimstone and gall! Say that again and I ll cast anchor in you. (Almost humbly) If you are Hook, come tell me, who am I? A codfish. Only a codfish. A codfish! SMEE Have we been captained all this time by a codfish? STARKEY It is lowering to the pride. (Whispering) Don t desert me bullies. Have you another voice? I have. 47

48 And another name? Aye. Vegetable? No. Mineral? No. Animal? Yes. Man? No! Boy? Yes. Ordinary boy? 48

49 No! Wonderful boy? Yes! Are you in England? No. Are you here? Yes. (Hook is puzzled and under pressure.) (To Smee) You ask him some questions. SMEE I can t think of anything. Do you give up? Yes, yes. I am Peter Pan. 49

50 Pan! Now we have him. Into the water, Smee. Starkey, mind the boat. Take him dead or alive. Are you ready boys? Charge! (Suddenly the Lost Boys appear from all about the lagoon. There is a fight with the pirates. Peter fights with Hook. Hook slips down the rock. Peter gives Hook a helping hand but Hook bites him. In the confusion of the fight, Wendy and Peter get separated from the boys. Then there is a tick, tick and Hook, in terror, stops in is his tracks. The crocodile appears and Hook runs for it, pursued by the beast, the pirates following after their captain. The Boys cheer then they notice that Peter and Wendy are missing.) NIBS (Calling) Peter! Wendy! (There is no reply.) SLIGHTLY They must have swam back. CURLY Or flew. Come on, let s go home. (They climb into the dinghy boat left by the pirates and sail off. Their voices are heard going into the distance. The boys laugh more as they disappear. Two figures suddenly drag themselves into view. They are both exhausted. The water is rising around the rock.) Wendy, the tide is coming in. Soon the water will be over the rock. Then we have to go. Yes. 50

51 Shall we swim or fly Peter? Do you think you could swim or fly as far as the island, without my help? I m too tired Peter. (Peter moans.) What is it? Hook has wounded me. I can neither fly nor swim. Wendy, I can t help you. Do you mean we re going to drown? Look at the water rising. (The two watch the water level increase. They look at each other unsure of their fate. A kite, flying high comes slowly into view.) What are we going to do Peter? Look Michael s kite! It lifted him off the ground, it could also lift you. Both of us. It ll never lift two Curly and Nibs tried. 51

52 (Peter quickly ties the tail of the kite around Wendy.) Stop Peter. This isn t fair. Let s draw straws to see who goes. And you a lady? Never. (Clinging to him) But Peter... (Pushing her from the rock) Goodbye Wendy. (The kite lifts Wendy into the air and carries her off out of the lagoon. Peter is alone. The water continues to rise up the rock. The mermaids start calling to the moon. Peter is afraid at last. He seems unsure what to do. He climbs further up the rock. Then a smile goes across his face.) To die will be an awfully big adventure. ***(Possible break for intermission.)*** The Never Bird appears, striving with difficulty to paddle her nest over to the rock. Peter and the Bird cannot understand each other's language. BIRD Peter! Hullo, Never Bird! BIRD I want you to get into the nest - I'm sorry; I don't speak bird. 52

53 BIRD (as slowly and distinctly as possible:) I - want - you - to - get - into - the - nest - and - then - you - can - drift - ashore, - but - I - am - too - tired - to - bring - it - any - nearer - so - you - must - try - to - swim - to - it. What are you quacking about? Why don't you let the nest drift as usual? BIRD (rolls her eyes and repeats herself) I - want - you - to - get - into - the - nest - (as slowly and distinctly as possible) What - are - you - quacking - about? BIRD You dunderheaded little jay! Why don't you do as I tell you? So are you! / BIRD Shut up! (Nevertheless the bird is determined to save Peter if she can, and by one last mighty effort she propels the nest against the rock. Then up she flies; deserting her eggs, so as to make her meaning clear. Peter finally understands.) Thank you, Never Bird! (Peter lifts up two large white eggs, and reflects on them. He finds Starkey's hat on a stave of the rock, removes the hat, puts the eggs into the hat, and sets it on the lagoon. It floats beautifully. Peter then gets into the nest, rears the stave in it as a mast, and hangs up his shirt for a sail. The Never Bird flutters down upon the hat and once more sits snugly on her eggs. She drifts in one direction, and Peter in another, both crowing.) ENSEMBLE Of course Peter beached his new vessel in a place where the Never Bird would easily find it; but the hat was such a great success that she abandoned the nest. It 53

54 drifted about till it went to pieces, and often the pirate Starkey came to the shore of the lagoon, and with many bitter feelings, watched the bird sitting on his hat. STARKEY Accurséd bird! ENSEMBLE It might be worth mentioning here that all Never Birds now build their nests in that shape, with a broad brim on which the youngsters take an airing. Scene 5 - The Home under the Ground The boys are recounting their recent exploits at Marooner's Rock, still unaware of the perils endured by Peter and Wendy. SLIGHTLY Did you see me in the thick of the fight? TWIN 1 No. TWIN 2 We were quite busy fighting ourselves. TWIN 1 Fighting valiantly. JOHN I should like to point out that I was first to draw blood, having bravely boarded the pirate dinghy to struggle fiercely with the dread Starkey. TOOTLES I got a taste of Johnny Corkscrew, right here! And I didn't cry! CURLY I pinked that Bo'sun Smee right back for you! 54

55 SLIGHTLY I wish mother and father would hurry and get back here so we can tell them everything. (Wendy enters, exhausted and tied up in the kite string.) BOYS Mother! Oh, my dear children. How I worry for your father! (The boys are thoroughly unaccustomed to worrying about Peter's welfare. And before they can wrap their heads around such a concern, Peter makes a triumphal entrance.) Greetings, boys! (The boys give three cheers for Peter.) Oh, Peter - how did you escape? Escape from what? Why, certain death! Who can remember that far back? Especially when I have such important news: Tiger Lily has declared that since I saved her from some dreadful fate, her tribe is now our friend and ally. (The boys give another three cheers for Peter.) Peter, do you even remember what you did for Tiger Lily? 55

56 I'm sure I was terribly clever. (The sound of the tom-tom.) MICHAEL What's that sound? The Indians are on guard up above the house and want me to smoke the pipe of peace. It's nearly suppertime Don't wait for me! (It is time for the evening meal and they all gather around the table. The meal is a make-believe meal. There is a lot of noise and squabbling.) Silence! Slightly, is your calabash empty? SLIGHTLY Not quite empty, Mummy. NIBS He hasn t even begun to drink his milk. SLIGHTLY (Puts his arm in the air) I want to complain about Nibs. (John raises his hand.) Yes, John? 56

57 JOHN May I sit in Peter s chair? Sit in father s chair? Certainly not. JOHN He s not really our father. He didn t even know what a father does till I showed him. TWINS (Puts their arms in the air) We want to complain about John. TOOTLES I don t suppose I could be father? ALL BOYS No TOOTLES If you won t let me be father, Michael can I be the baby? MICHAEL No that s my job. TOOTLES Well, if you won t let me be the baby do you think I could be a twin? TWINS It s too difficult to be a twin. TOOTLES Would anyone like to see me do a trick? ALL BOYS No! TOOTLES There s no hope for me. 57

58 JOHN Slightly s coughing at the table. SLIGHTLY The twins are eating the mamee-apples. TWINS Nibs is speaking with his mouth full. You know, sometimes I think spinsters are to be envied. Now tidy these things away. Supper is over. (The boys are set free and Wendy gets her sewing basket out.) TOOTLES Can we play bandages? SLIGHTLY Yes, can we play at limping about? TWINS And then put our arms in slings. SLIGHTLY Owwww!!! My arms falling off. TOOTLES (Walking with a limp) Quick someone fix me. MICHAEL Wendy, I m too big to go in the cradle. Somebody has to be in the cradle and you re the littlest. TOOTLES Why won t anyone operate on me? 58

59 Children, I hear your father s footsteps. Come on, you know he likes to meet you at the door. Hello boys! BOYS Hello Father! Look, I have brought nuts for you all (He throws nuts around the room the boys chase after them and eat them) Peter, you spoil them. Ah, old lady. JOHN It was me who told him mothers are called old lady. TWINS Father, we want to dance. (Good humored) Dance away then little man. TWINS But we want you to dance. (Pretending) Me! My old bones would rattle. TOOTLES And mummy too. 59

60 What? The mother of such an armful, dance? SLIGHTLY But it s Saturday night. That s true Peter. Come on then, my lady. (Peter and Wendy start to dance. The boys are delighted and start to cheer. They then too join in, dancing around them. Suddenly Peter stops.) Peter, what is it? (A little scared) Wendy. It is only make believe, this, that I m their father, isn t it? But they are ours, Peter, yours and mine. But not really? Not if you don t wish it. (Peter seems relieved.) Peter, what are your exact feelings for me? Those of a devoted son, Wendy. 60

61 I thought so. (Wendy goes and sits at the other side of the room.) (Puzzled) You re so strange - and Tiger Lily is just the same. There is something she wants to be to me, but she says it s not my mother. No it s not. Then what is it? (Wendy doesn t reply) Very well. Perhaps Tinker Bell will tell me. Do you want to be my mother, Tink? (Tinker Bell replies with a Silly Ass.) (Almost snapping) I almost agree with her. Come on boys, it is time for bed now. SLIGHTLY Bed time? TWINS Now for the story you promised us. Well you re not in bed yet, so there s no story. SLIGHTLY I think you ll find that I m in bed. TWINS I want to complain about Slightly. 61

62 Quickly now settle down. (The boys have all settled.) Listen then. There was once a gentleman... TOOTLES I wish it had been a lady. SLIGHTLY I wish it had been a white rat. Quiet. There was also a lady, and... TWINS She s not dead is she? Oh no. TOOTLES I m glad she s not dead. The gentleman s name was Mr. Darling, and her name was Mrs. Darling. MICHAEL I think I knew them. They were married you know. And what do you think they had? SLIGHTLY White rats? 62

63 No. They had three children. And these three children had a faithful dog called Nana. But Mr. and Mrs. Darling went out for the evening and so the children flew away. SLIGHTLY It s a really good story. They flew away to the Neverland, where the lost boys are. SLIGHTLY I knew they did. I don t know how but I just knew they did. TOOTLES Wendy, was one of the lost children called Tootles? Yes he was. TOOTLES I m in a story. Twins, I m in story. Hush. Now I want you to think about the feelings of the parents with their children flown away. Think of the empty beds. TWINS (Cheerfully) It s terribly sad. SLIGHTLY I'm frightfully anxious. If you knew how great is a mother's love, you would have no fear. TOOTLES I do like a mother's love! 63

64 You see, our heroine knew that the mother would always leave the window open for her children to fly back. So they stayed away for years and had a lovely time. TOOTLES Did they ever go back? Let us now take a peep into the future Years have rolled by, and who is this elegant lady of uncertain age alighting at London Station. Can it be - yes - no - it is - the fair Wendy! BOYS Oh! And who are the two noble portly figures accompanying her, now grown to man's estate? Can they be John and Michael? They are! BOYS Oh! 'See, dear brothers,' says Wendy pointing upwards, 'there is the window still standing open. Ah, now we are rewarded for our sublime faith in a mother's love.' So up they flew to their mummy and daddy, and pen cannot describe the happy scene, over which we draw a veil. (Peter groans.) What is it, Peter? Is it sore? Where does it hurt? It isn t that kind of pain. Then what kind is it? 64

65 You are wrong about mothers. (They all gather round him.) Long ago I thought like you that my mother would always keep the window open for me, so I stayed away for moons and moons and moons, and then flew back. But the window was barred for mother had forgotten all about me and there was another little boy sleeping in my bed. Mothers aren t like that. Yes they are. MICHAEL Let s go home, Wendy. Yes. Peter will you make the necessary arrangements? (Coolly) If you wish. (Peter exits to speak to the Indian tribe.) SLIGHTLY You can t leave tonight. At once. TWINS We won t let you go. 65

66 SLIGHTLY You ll be our prisoner. TWINS Quick, chain her up. Tootles. Please. TOOTLES I am only Tootles and nobody listens to me. But the first person who does not behave like a gentleman with Wendy will have me to deal with. (He draws his dagger) (re-entering) Wendy, I ve asked the braves to guide you through the wood. Thank you, Peter. Dear ones, if you will all come with me I could persuade my father and mother to adopt you. TOOTLES Can we go Peter, can we? All right. And now Peter, I m going to give you your medicine before you go. I am not going with you Wendy. Get your things Peter. No. 66

67 But Peter... No. (He skips off and plays his pipes) SLIGHTLY Peter isn t coming. TOOTLES But Peter, why won t you come. Because I want to stay here. I want to always be a little boy and have fun. (The boys are uncertain as to what to do.) (Cynically) If you do find your mothers I hope you like them. (The boys are very doubtful) Now then, no fuss and certainly no blubbering. Goodbye Wendy (Peter puts out his hand. Wendy takes it. They shake hands.) Now you will take your medicine? I ll remember. Now off you go. The boys will look after you. (Suddenly there is a huge battle sound. The Pirates have launched an attack on the Indians who have been guarding the underground home.) What is that? 67