Wendy & Peter Pan
Wendy & Peter Pan is a play by Ella Hickson, adapted from the original play and novel Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J.M. Barrie. The play is a re-telling of the classic children's story which features Wendy Darling as the protagonist who flies away with Peter Pan to Neverland.
| Wendy & Peter Pan | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Ella Hickson (play) J.M. Barrie (novel) |
| Date premiered | 10 December 2013 |
| Place premiered | Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon |
| Setting | Winter 1908, London and Neverland |
Background
Playwright Ella Hickson was commissioned to write a new adaptation of Peter Pan for the Christmas show in Gregory Doran's first season as artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
This version of the classic children's story is told through Wendy Darling's perspective as she meets Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up. She and her brothers, John and Michael, fly away with Pan and Tink to Neverland where they meet with the Lost Boys and battle the evil Captain Hook. This feminist re-working of the story prominently discovers some of the darker themes within the original story and introduces some new characters, such as Tom, a fourth child of the Darling family.
Productions
RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon (2013-4)
The play had its premiere on 10 December 2013 where it ran at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon until 2 March 2014. The production was directed by Jonathan Munby, designed by Colin Richmond, music by Oliver Fox and Jason Carr, lighting by Oliver Fenwick, sound by Christopher Shutt and fights by Terry King.
RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon revival (2015-6)
For Christmas 2015 the production was revived by the RSC at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre where it began on 25 November 2015, with previews from 17 November, and ran until 31 January 2016. The play had received some changes from the 2013 production, such as new changes to the score by Oliver Fox and Jason Carr, new script and scene changes including flying and fighting scenes. Many members of the cast had also changed from the previous production.[1]
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh (2018-19)
A new production directed by Eleanor Rhode, starring Isobel McArthur as Wendy Darling and Ziggy Heath as Peter Pan, ran at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh from 29 November 2018 to 5 January 2019.
Leeds Playhouse (2021)
A revival was commissioned as part of the Christmas season at the Leeds Playhouse, with original director Jonathan Munby returning.
Characters and cast
| Character | RSC (2013) | RSC revival (2015) | Leeds Playhouse Revival (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wendy | Fiona Button | Mariah Gale | Amber James |
| John | Jolyon Coy | James Corrigan | Corey Montague-Sholay |
| Michael | Brodie Ross | Jordan Metcalfe | Stefan Race |
| Tom | Colin Ryan | Sam Clemmett | David Carpenter |
| Mrs Darling | Rebecca Johnson | Amy Rockson | |
| Mr Darling/Skylights | Andrew Woodwall | Partick Tomboy | David Birrell/Jason Battersby |
| Doc Giles/Crocodile/Shadow | Arthur Kyeyune | Leon Smith | |
| Peter Pan | Sam Swann | Rhys Rusbatch | Pierro Neil Mee |
| Tink | Charlotte Mills | Hope Kenna | |
| Tootles | Josh Williams | Lawrence Walker | Callum Balmforth |
| Curly | Dafyyd Llyr Thomas | Douggie McMeekin | James Steventon |
| Slightly | Will Merrick | Harry Waller | Richard Leeming |
| Nibs | Jack Monaghan | Cavan Clarke | N/A |
| Captain Hook | Guy Henry | Darrel D'Silva | David Birrell |
| Smee | Gregory Gudgeon | Paul Kemp | Brian Lonsdale |
| Doc Swain | Guy Rhys | Dan Wheeler | Cassidy Little |
| Knock Bone Jones | Richard Clews | David Langham | Hadley Smith |
| Murt The Bat | Dodger Phillips | Ramône Dale-Cruickhank | |
| Martin | Jamie Wilkes | Adam Gillen | Thomas Pickles |
| Tiger Lily | Michelle Asante | Mimi Ndiweni | Ami Okumura Jones |
| Peter's Shadow | Martin Costane | Simon Carroll-Jones | Jason Battersby |
| Shadow | Simon Carroll-Jones | Jay Webb | Peter Losasso |
| Shadow | Susan Hingley | Kelvin Ade | |
| Shadow | Emily Holt | Laura Prior | Simone Lewis |
| Shadow | Jack Horner | Richard P. Peralta | |
| Shadow | Leon Smith | ||
| Shadow | Xolani Crabtree | ||
- ^ Gale stepped in to play Wendy as original actress Fiona Button had to withdraw due to injury in rehearsals.
References
- "Latest Press Releases | Royal Shakespeare Company". www.rsc.org.uk. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
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