PETER PAN CALLBACK SIDES

WENDY:

Have you ever seen a map of a person’s mind? Doctors somtimes draw maps of other parts of you, but catch them trying to draw a map of a child’s mind, which is not only confused, but keeps going round all the time… If you ever did see a map like that, you would be looking at a map of the Never Land. There are zig-zag lines on it (just like your temperature on a card) and these are probably roads on the island— for the Never Land is always more or less an island, with astonishing splashes of color here and there, and coral reefs, and savages, and lonely lairs, and gnomes who are mostly tailors, and princes with six elder brothers, and a hut fast going to decay, and one very small old lady with a hooked nose.

HOOK:

Scatter and look for them. Most of all, I want their captain, Peter Pan. ’Twas he cut off my arm. I have waited long to shake his hand with this. Smee, Pan flung my arm to a Crocodile that happened to be passing by. The brute liked my arm so much, Smee, that he has followed me ever since, from sea to sea, and from land to land, licking his lips for the rest of me. I want Peter Pan, who first gave the brute his taste for me.

MRS. DARLING:

George, this is not the first time I have seen that boy. The first time was a week ago. It was Nana’s night out, and I had been drowsing here by the fire when suddenly I felt a draught, as if the window were open. I looked round and I saw that boy — in the room. I screamed. The boy leapt through the window and slammed it behind him. I rushed down into the street to look for his little body on the pavement, and there was nothing there. I thought I must have dreamed it but when I returned to the nursery there on the floor lay his shadow. He had shut the window so quickly he had cut it clean off.

LOST BOYS/PIRATES/SMEE:

From that night on, adventure became a daily occurrence. The best we can do is to show you one of them. Which shall we choose? Perhaps the best way would be to toss for it. (flips a coin) The lagoon has won! It is the end of a long, playful day on the lagoon. The sun’s rays have persuaded him to give them another five minute, for one more race over the waters before he gathers them up and lets in the moon. Peter and his band are in the water behind Marooners’ Rock. JOHN, MICHAEL, WENDY, MRS. DARLING SCENE

JOHN: We are doing an act; we are playing at being you and father. (pretending to be his father) A little less noise there!

WENDY: Now let us pretend we have a baby.

JOHN: I am happy to inform you, Mrs. Darling, that you are now a mother. (Wendy squeals, delighted). You have missed the main thing; you haven’t asked “boy or girl?”

WENDY: I am so glad to have one at all, I don’t care which it is.

JOHN: That is just the difference between gentlemen and ladies. Now you tell me.

WENDY: I am happy to acquaint you, Mr. Darling, you are now a father.

JOHN: Boy or girl?

WENDY: Girl.

JOHN: Noooooooo! Yuck.

WENDY: You’re terrible!

JOHN: Go on.

WENDY: I am happy to acquaint you, Mr. Darling, you are again a father.

JOHN: Boy or girl?

WENDY: Boy. (John smiles, beaming) Mother, it’s so hateful of him. (Wendy hugs Mrs. Darling)

MICHAEL: Now, John, have me.

JOHN: We don’t want any more.

MICHAEL: Am I not to be born at all? JOHN: Two is enough.

MICHAEL: Come on, John! Boy, John! (devastated) Nobody wants me!

MRS. DARLING: I do.

MICHAEL: Boy or girl?

MRS. DARLING: Boy.

MICHAEL: At what time was I born, mother?

MRS. DARLING: At two o’clock in the night-time, dearest.

MICHAEL: Oh, mother, I hope I didn’t wake you! WENDY AND PETER SCENE:

WENDY: Peter, why did you come to our nursery window?

PETER: To try to hear stories. Your mother was telling you such a lovely story the other night, Wendy.

WENDY: Which story was it?

PETER: About the prince, and he couldn’t find the lady who wore the glass slipper.

WENDY: That was Cinderella. Peter, he found her and they were happy ever after.

PETER: I am glad! (goes to leave through the nursery window)

WENDY: Peter, where are you going?

PETER: To tell the other boys.

WENDY: Don’t go, Peter. I know lots of stories. Oh, the stories I could tell to the boys!

PETER: Come with me then! We’ll fly.

WENDY: Fly? You can fly?

PETER: Yes.

WENDY: Oh dear, I mustn’t. Think of mother.

PETER: Come on, Wendy! (takes her hand)

WENDY: Let go, Peter Pan. Besides, I can’t fly.

PETER: I’ll teach you.

WENDY: But I won’t go away with you. PETER: You won’t be able to help it—

WENDY: Then I won’t learn.

PETER: I’ll teach you how to jump on the wind’s back, and then away we go— and if there are more winds than one, they toss you about in the sky— they fling you miles and miles— but you always fall soft onto another wind— and sometimes you go crashing through the tops of trees, scaring the owls— and if you meet a boy’s kite in the air you shove your foot through it. The stars are giving a party tonight! Oh Wendy, when you are sleeping in your silly bed you might be flying about with me playing hide and seeks with the stars! And, Wendy, there are mermaids…

WENDY: Mermaids, with tails?

PETER: Such long tails!

WENDY: Oh, to see a mermaid!