Peter Pan Reader's Theatre Script

7/25/2019 Peter Pan Reader's Theatre Script

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/peter-pan-readers-theatre-script 1/15

ALL: All children, except one, grow up.

[Mrs. Darling tucks her children into bed.]

MRS. DARLING: Goodnight Wendy. Goodnight John.

Goodnight Michael.

CHILDREN: Goodnight mother!

MRS. DARLING: Oh how I wish I wasn’t going to that party

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.

[Mrs. Darling leaves, and Peter comes to the window,

peaking into the room.]

Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie

PETER: Tinker Bell? Tink? Where are you? [Peter’s eyes flit

around room until he locates Tinker Bell]

PETER: Do you know where they put my shadow? [Peter

listens to Tink, then moves to a dresser where he finds his

shadow. It won’t attach to him. Peter starts to cry.]

WENDY: [Wakes up, then sees Peter crying.] Boy,

[courteously] why are you crying?

PETER: [bows] What’s your name?

WENDY: [bows] Wendy Moira Angela Darling. What is

your name?

PETER: Peter Pan.

WENDY: Where do you live?

PETER: [pointing to the stars] Second to the right and then

straight on till morning.

WENDY: Is that what they put on the letters to your

mother?

PETER: Don’t have a mother.

WENDY: O Peter, no wonder you were crying!

PETER: [Indignantly] I wasn’t crying about mothers. I was

crying because I can’t get my shadow to stick on. Besides,

I wasn’t crying.

WENDY: I shall sew it on for you. [Gets needle and

thread.] I daresay it will hurt a little.

PETER: Oh I shan’t cry.

[Wendy sews on shadow. Peter jumps about in the wildest

glee. Alas, he has already forgotten that he owes his bliss

to Wendy. He thinks he had attached the shadow himself.]



PETER: How clever I am! Oh, the cleverness of me! [crows]

WENDY: You braggart! Of course I did nothing. [Wendy

turns away.]

PETER: [Pokes Wendy] Oh Wendy. I can't help crowing,

when I'm pleased with myself.

[Wendy refuses to turn back, but is listening.]

PETER: Wendy [in a voice that no woman has ever yet

been able to resist] Wendy, one girl is more use than

twenty boys.

WENDY: [mollified] I think I shall give you a kiss.

[Peter sticks his hand out.]

WENDY: Surely you know what a kiss is?

PETER: [stiffly] I shall know when you give it to me.

[Wendy, confused, takes the thimble off her finger and

gives it to him.]

PETER: Now shall I give you a kiss? [He looks around, and

finally picks an acorn off himself and gives it to her.]

WENDY: Oh! [softly, to herself] An acorn. [To Peter] I shall

wear it on a chain around my neck and treasure it always!

PETER: I shall show the Lost Boys my kiss when I go back.

WENDY: Who are the Lost Boys?

PETER: They are the children who fall out of their prams

when the nurse is looking the other way. If they are not

claimed in seven days they are sent far away to the

Neverland to defray expenses. I'm captain.

WENDY: What fun it must be!

PETER: Yes [cunningly] but we are rather lonely. You see

we have no female companionship.

WENDY: Are none of the others girls?

PETER: Oh, no; girls, you know, are much too clever to fall

out of their prams.

WENDY: Peter…I think I should like to give you a…athimble.

PETER: What’s that?

WENDY: It’s like this. [She kisses him.]

PETER: [gravely] Funny. Now shall I give you a thimble?

[Peter starts to thimble her, but Tink yanks back Wendy’s

hair, stopping it. Wendy screeches.]



JOHN: I say, Peter, can you really fly?

PETER: You just think wonderful thoughts…and with a

little bit of pixie dust…

[Michael jumps off the bed. Peter grabs Tinkerbell, then

shakes her and blows pixie dust on them.]

MICHAEL: I flewed!

PETER: Second to the right, and straight on till morning!

[Peter, Wendy, John, Michael, and Tinkerbell leave and fly

away.]

MRS. DARLING: [rushing into room] The children! They’re

gone!

PETER: [in the distance] To Neverland!

MRS. DARLING: Neverland…I don't know whether you

have ever seen a map of a person's mind.

There are zigzag lines on it, just like your temperature on

a card, and these are probably roads in the island, for the

Neverland is always more or less an island, with

astonishing splashes of colour here and there, and coral

reefs and pirate ships, and caves through which a river

runs, though of course, even in the minds of my own

children, the Neverlands vary a good deal.

We too have been there; we see glimpses in our dreams

or the dreams of our children. But, as we grow older, we

know we shall land no more.

PETER: [crows]

CAPTAIN HOOK: [Stiffens, then turns to Mr. Smee] Peter

Pan is back!

MR. SMEE: I’ll get the battle hook!

LOST BOYS: Peter is back!

NIBS: Look! [pointing in the air] A great white bird!

SLIGHTLY: [eyes darting around to see Tinkerbell] What

Tink? Peter says to shoot the Wendy Bird?

NIBS: What’s a Wendy Bird?

TOOTLES: Out of the way Tink! [He shoots his arrow and itstrikes Wendy.]

[Wendy falls onto the ground, and the Lost Boys crowd

around her.]

SLIGHTLY: This is no bird; it’s a lady.

TOOTLES: [trembling] A lady?

NIBS: And we have killed her!

[Peter enters with John and Michael in tow.]

PETER: [crows] Great news, boys! I have brought at last a

mother for you all!

[There’s no reaction from the boys.]

PETER: Why do you not cheer?



[Peter crouches down, then pulls the arrow from Wendy.]

PETER: Whose arrow?

TOOTLES: Mine. [gulps] Strike true Peter, strike true.

[Peter goes to hit Tootles, but Wendy grabs his ankle to

stop him. He tries again, but again she grabs his ankle.]

PETER: I cannot strike. There is something that stays my

hand.

NIBS: Look! The Wendy lady lives!

[Wendy stirs, but then sits up. The Lost Boys cheer, then

crowd around her.]

WENDY: It was your kiss, Peter. The arrow struck your

kiss.

[Peter crows, pleased with himself to be so clever as to

have given Wendy a kiss.]

LOST BOYS: O Wendy lady, be our mother!

WENDY: Ought I? Of course it's frightfully fascinating, butyou see I am only a little girl. I have no real experience.

PETER: That doesn’t matter.

WENDY: Very well, I will do my best! Come inside at once,

children. Before I put you to bed I have just time to finish

the story of Cinderella.

[Lost Boys cheer as they move inside.]

[Captain Hook and Mr. Smee enter. Hook is talking, Smee

nodding along. We interrupt their conversation. During

this, Tiger Lily follows, eavesdropping on their

conversation to warn Peter.]

CAPTAIN HOOK: I shall find their hideout and cause

mischief to the lot of them! Most of all, I want their

captain, Peter Pan. ‘Twas he who cut off my arm! [Hook

brandishes about his hook.] He flung it to a crocodile!

MR. SMEE: I have often noticed your strange dread of

crocodiles.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Not of crocodiles, but of that one

crocodile. It liked my arm so much, Smee, that is hasfollowed me ever since, licking its lips for the rest of me.

MR. SMEE: In a way, it’s sort of a compliment.

CAPTAIN HOOK: I want no such compliments! I want

Peter Pan who first gave the brute its taste for me. [Sits

down.] Smee, someday that crocodile would have had me

before this, but by a lucky chance it swallowed a clock

which goes tick tock inside it, and so before it can reach

me I hear the tick and bolt.

MR. SMEE: Someday, the clock will run down and then

he’ll get you.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Aye, and that’s the fear that haunts m- I

say! This seat is hot! [Jumps up.] Odds bobs, hammer and

tongs I’m burning.



[The duo look around.]

MR. SMEE: Look! There’s smoke.

BOTH: [look at the chimney] A chimney! [Look at each

other] The hideout!

[Tiger Lily gasps. Hook and Smee turn and see her. Smee

grabs her before she can run off.]

CAPTAIN HOOK: Well well well. Tiger Lily. Grab her Smee!

MR. SMEE: [Releases Tiger Lily and then grabs her again]

I’ve got her Cap’n!

CAPTAIN HOOK: So we have captured the princess Tiger

Lily, found Peter Pan and his hideout…[laughs] Aha, they

will die! First, I shall tie Tiger Lily to Marooner’s Rock to

drown…and then, while Peter and his boys try to save her,

I shall poison the lot of them! [Sound-Tick tock tick tock

tick tock.] The crocodile! [Hook blanches and runs out,

with Smee chasing after.]

PETER: Let’s go on an adventure!

WENDY: Let’s have a picnic!

[Lost Boys and Wendy sing “ Following the Leader ” to

Marooner ’ s Rock.]

WENDY: Now let us sit down to lunch…

[Wendy and the rowdy Lost Boys are all sitting down to

dinner, which is pretend.]

WENDY: Remember, you must never hit back at meals.

Just because your father is off on an adventure does not

mean we hit. What are you to do?

TOOTLES: [raises his right arm]

WENDY: Good…

TOOTLES: [pleased with compliment for raising his hand] I

complain of so-and-so, Mother!

WENDY: Good, Tootles.

MICHAEL: Even here? At Marooner’s Rock?

WENDY: Yes-

NIBS: But what if Tootles-

WENDY: Everyone drink your milk.

[Lost Boys drink invisible milk, except Slightly]

WENDY: Are you drinking your milk, Slightly?



SLIGHTLY: [looking into an imaginary mug] Not quite,

mummy. [Chugs milk]

NIBS: [tattle telling] He hasn't even begun to drink his

milk!

SLIGHLY: I complain of Nibs!

JOHN: May I sit in Peter's place, as he is not here?

WENDY: [scandilised] Sit in father's chair, John! Certainly

not.

JOHN: He is not really our father. He didn't even know

how a father does till I showed him.

NIBS AND SLIGHTLY: We complain of John!

TOOTLES: I don't suppose, [bashfully or timidly], that I

could be father.

WENDY: [gently] No, Tootles.

TOOTLES: [heavily] As I can't be father, I don't suppose,

Michael, you would let me be baby?

MICHAEL: No, I won't.

TOOTLES: As I can't be baby, would any of you like to see

me do a trick?

ALL: No.

TOOTLES: As I can't be anything important…

NIBS: Slightly is coughing on the table.

SLIGHTLY: Nibs hasn’t had his medicine to grow strong!

JOHN: Tootles is taking both butter and honey.

MICHAEL: Nibs is speaking with his mouth full.

TOOTLES: I complain of Slightly.

SLIGHTLY: I complain of John.

JOHN: I complain of Nibs.

WENDY: Oh dear, oh dear. I'm sure I sometimes think that

spinsters are to be envied.

PETER: [Crows]

LOST BOYS: Peter!

[Peter appears from nowhere]

PETER: I’ve just had the most awfully big adventure!

LOST BOYS: [overlapping] What happened? Was it a bear?

Can I come with? I was there! Did you fight anybody? Did

you bring me a present?

[Smee loudly brings in Tiger Lily. Peter hears.]



CAPTAIN HOOK: It is 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.

WENDY: Never!

CAPTAIN HOOK: What was that? [Begins to look around – notices Tiger Lily is gone.] Where is Tiger Lily?

MR. SMEE: Let her go. Just like you said.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Brimstone and gall! What cozening is

going on here! I gave no such order!

PETER/HOOK: Yes I did!

MR. SMEE: You did!

CAPTAIN HOOK: Who are you?

PETER/HOOK: I am James Hook, captain of the Jolly

Roger!

CAPTAIN HOOK: If you are Hook, who am I?

PETER/HOOK: A codfish!

MR. SMEE: A codfish! Have we been captained all this

time by a codfish? It is lowering my pride!

CAPTAIN HOOK: Hook, have you another voice?

PETER/HOOK: I have.

CAPTAIN HOOK: And another name?

PETER/HOOK: Ay, ay.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Vegetable?

PETER/HOOK: No.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Mineral?

PETER/HOOK: No.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Animal?

PETER/HOOK: Yes.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Man?

PETER: [scornfully, in own voice] No!

CAPTAIN HOOK: Boy?

PETER: Yes.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Ordinary boy?

PETER: No!

CAPTAIN HOOK: Wonderful boy?

PETER: Yes! I am Peter Pan!



[Peter jumps up, and the Lost Boys follow. Mr. Smee tries

to catch them, but they escape, running circles around

him. Hook and Peter start to fight, and Hook bites him.

Peter is shocked, but soon recovers and bops him on the

head and everyone runs away.]

PETER: We have won! Back to the hidey-hole!

[All exit]

WENDY: What an adventure! Have a seat. Sit! Listen, then

and I shall tell you a story. [Settling down to her story]

There was once a gentleman--

MICHAEL: I had rather he had been a lady.

NIBS: I wish he had been a white rat.

PETER: Shut up, Nibs.

WENDY: Quiet. There was a lady also, and--

TOOTLES: Oh, mummy, you mean that there is a lady also,

don't you? She is not dead, is she?

WENDY: Oh, no.

TOOTLES: I am awfully glad she isn't dead. Are you glad,

John?

JOHN: Of course I am.

TOOTLES: Are you glad, Nibs?

NIBS: Rather.

WENDY: [sighing] Oh dear.

PETER: [Dad imitation] Little less noise there. Little less

noise.

[Lost Boys laugh because Peter is hilarious.]

WENDY: The gentleman's name was Mr. Darling, and her

name was Mrs. Darling.

JOHN: [to annoy the others] I knew them.

MICHAEL: [doubtfully] I think I knew them.

WENDY: They were married, of course, and had three

children. Now these three children had a faithful nurse

called Nana; but Mr. Darling was angry with her and

chained her up in the yard, and so all the children flew

away.

NIBS: It's an awfully good story.

WENDY: They flew away to the Neverland, where the lost

children are.

SLIGHTLY: I just thought they did! I don't know how it is,

but I just thought they did!

WENDY: Hush. Now I want you to consider the feelings of

the unhappy parents with all their children flown away.

LOST BOYS: Oo! [they all moaned, though they were not

really considering the feelings of the unhappy parents one

jot]



WENDY: Think of the empty beds!

LOST BOYS: Oo!

TOOTLES: [cheerfully] It's awfully sad.

JOHN: I don't see how it can have a happy ending. Do you,

Nibs?

WENDY: [triumphantly] If you knew how great is a

mother's love, you would have no fear. You see, our

heroine knew that the mother would always leave the

window open for her children to fly back by; so they

stayed away for years and had a lovely time.

PETER: [agitated] Wendy, you are wrong about mothers.

[Everyone gathers around Peter.]

PETER: 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.

[John and Michael move to Wendy – Peter’s story has

scared them.]

JOHN AND MICHAEL: Wendy let’s go home.

WENDY: Yes.

JOHN AND MICHEAL: Tonight?

LOST BOYS: [bewildered] Not tonight?

WENDY: At once. Perhaps our mother is half in mourning

by now. We’ve been gone ever so long.

SLIGHTLY: But Mother! Wendy! You can’t go!

TOOTLES: It will be worse than before she came!

NIBS: We shan’t let her go!

SLIGHTLY: Let’s keep her prisoner!

NIBS: Aye – let’s chain her up!

WENDY: Tootles –

TOOTLES: [grandly, with dignity] I am just Tootles, and

nobody minds me. But the first who does not behave to

Wendy like an English gentleman I will sit on.

[Peter and Lost Boys realize that Wendy will not be

stopped from leaving. They are sad.]

WENDY: Peter, will you make the necessary arrangements

for us to leave?

PETER: If you wish it. Tinker Bell shall show you the way.



WENDY: [to the Lost Boys] Dear ones, if you will all come

with me I feel almost sure I can get my father and mother

to adopt you.

[Lost Boys cheer, pushing their way into a line, waiting

for Wendy to lead them home.]

WENDY: [noticing Peter is not lining up with the Lost Boys]

Peter will you come?

PETER: No.

[Pause. Peter suddenly holds out his hand, cheerily, quite

as if they must really go now, for he had something

important to do.]

PETER: Now then,no fuss, no blubbering; good-bye,

Wendy.

WENDY: [shaking Peter’s hand, sadly , not wanting to say

goodbye] You will remember about changing your

flannels, Peter?

PETER: Yes.

WENDY: And you will take your medicine? I know you

never do…but this time, will you?

PETER: Yes.

MICHEAL AND JOHN: Wendy? Let’s go home to Mother.

WENDY: [sadly] Lead the way, Tinkerbell. [to the Boys]

Let’s go home. [to Peter] Goodbye, Peter Pan.

[Tink leads them through the woods. Captain Hook and

Mr. Smee see them and one by one pick them off and take

them to their ship.]

PETER: [Peter is alone, holding his (poisoned) medicine. He

is debating taking it.] No mother is here to make me take

my medicine now… Hello? Who is that? Tink? [Tinkerbell

flies in] What happened Tink? Wendy and the boys were

taken by Hook? [looks down at medicine, and decides to

take it. He opens it up, and almost drinks when he gets hit

in the head, then the medicine is gone.] Tink! Tink what

are you doing?

[Tinkerbell drops to the ground, the medicine being

poisoned.]

PETER: Tink? [Looks at medicine, then listens to

Tinkerbell.] Poisoned? But who? Hook! Oh Tink, don’t die.

[An idea pops into Peter’s head. He turns to the audience.]

Do you believe! If you believe, clap your hands; don’t let

Tink die!

[Tinkerbell flies up, saved.]

PETER: [crows] And now to rescue Wendy!

[The Lost Boys and Wendy are tied up around the mast of

the pirate’s ship.]



CAPTAIN HOOK: Now then, bullies, six of you walk the

plank to-night, but I have room for two cabin boys. Which

of you is it to be?

TOOTLES: I don't think my mother would like me to be a

pirate. Would your mother like you to be a pirate,

Slightly? [winks]

SLIGHTLY: [mournfully, as if he wished things had been

otherwise] I don’t think so. Would your mother like you to

be a pirate, Nibs?

NIBS: I don’t think so—

CAPTAIN HOOK: Stow this gab! You boy [pointing to John]

you look as if you had a little pluck in you. Didst never

want to be a pirate, me hearty?

JOHN: I once thought of calling myself Red-handed Jack.

MICHAEL: What would I be called?

MR. SMEE: Blackbeard Joe!

JOHN: Would we still be respectful subjects of the King?

CAPTAIN HOOK: You would have to swear ‘Down with the

King’

JOHN: Then I refuse!

LOST BOYS: Rule Britannia! Rule Britannia! Rule Britannia!

CAPTAIN HOOK: That seals your doom! Bring out the

plank! Bring the girl!

[Mr. Smee brings out Wendy.]

MR. SMEE: [whispers] I’ll save you if you promise to be my

mother.

WENDY: I would almost rather have no children at all!

[Mr. Smee takes Wendy to the plank, and as he does, the

tick tock of the crocodile starts.]

[Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock]

LOST BOYS: The crocodile!

CAPTAIN HOOK: It's the girl. Never was luck on a pirate

ship with a woman on board. We'll right the ship when

she's gone.

MR. SMEE: It’s worth trying.

CAPTAIN HOOK: Fling the girl overboard!

[Wendy goes overboard, and everyone listens for thesplash. There is none. Then, Peter and Wendy fly back on

board. Wendy rushes to free the Lost Boys. Peter gets out

his sword and prepares to fight Hook.]

LOST BOYS: Peter! Wendy!



CAPTAIN HOOK: Proud and insolent youth, prepare to

meet thy doom.

PETER: Dark and sinister man. Have at thee!

[Peter and Hook fight, the Lost Boys and Wendy tie up Mr.

Smee. Peter fights Hook to the plank.]

CAPTAIN HOOK: [Losing the battle] Pan, who and what art

thou?

PETER: I am youth. I am joy!

[Peter finishes Captain Hook off, and he falls into the

mouth of the crocodile. *THUD* *GULP*]

PETER: Hook is gone!

[Everyone cheers]

WENDY: Peter? Will you take us home?

[Peter looks at Wendy, and knows their adventure is over.

He nods, and all exit.]

MRS. DARLING: [sitting in the window with Nana] OhNana, I dreamt my little ones had come back.

MR. DARLING: Dear, come to bed. And shut that window.

I feel a draught.

MRS. DARLING: O George, never ask me to do that. The

window must always be left open for them, always,

always.

[Suddenly, Wendy, John, and Michael fly into the window.

They run into Mr. & Mrs. Darling’s arms.]

ALL: Mother!

Father!

WENDY: Can we keep them?

MRS. DARLING: Can we keep them?

MR. DARLING: Our children have come back to us. Yes,

we shall keep them all.

[Mr. Darling and children exit.]

[Wendy sits by the window, and Jane is in bed.]

PETER: Hullo Wendy.

WENDY: Hello Peter. [Peter holds out his hand to her.]

Peter [faltering] are you expecting me to fly away with

you?

PETER: Of course; that is why I have come. Have you

forgotten that it is spring cleaning time?

WENDY: I can’t come. I have forgotten how to fly.

PETER: I’ll soon teach you again.

WENDY: Don’t waste your fairy dust on me. I am old,

Peter. I am ever so much more than twenty. I grew up

long ago.



PETER: You promised not to!

WENDY: I couldn’t help it. I am a married woman, Peter.

PETER: No you’re not!

WENDY: Yes, and the little girl in the bed is my daughter.

I’ve told her all our stories, Peter.

PETER: No she’s not! [Peter starts to cry.]

WENDY: Goodbye, Peter Pan. [Wendy exits]

JANE: Boy, why are you crying?

PETER PAN: Hullo.

JANE: Hullo.

PETER: My name is Peter Pan.

JANE: Yes, I know. My name is Jane.

PETER: I came back for my mother, to take her to the

Neverland.

JANE: Yes, I know. I’ve been waiting for you.

[Peter takes her hand, and away they go.]

Peter Pan Reader's Theatre Script

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