Finding Neverland
Captain Hook Pitiful display.
James Nana, Nana. Erm, first you get the pyjamas, then you make the bed.
Nana With my paws?
James You make the bed with your paws, the pyjamas you get with your teeth. Because, in fact, being a dog, you haven’t any proper digits, have you?
Nana Well I don’t have any teeth either. I mean, I can’t see, I can’t breathe. All I’ve got is this rubbery snout.
James Can we get him some teeth?
Charles He can have mine.
James We’ll get you teeth. Let’s have a wee break, shall we?
Nana Okay.
Smee I though you were wonderful.
Captain Hook You were marvellous.
Smee I think you’re better on four legs that you are on two.
Captain Hook Absolutely.
Nana Oh give it a rest.
Smee I do!
James Just say it Charles, go on.
Charles Well, you picture it James, opening night, doctors, lawyers, business men and their wives all dressed to the nines, they paid good money. They’re expecting theatre, what we call theatre. The curtain opens and it’s crocodiles and fairies and pirates and Indians, I don’t even know what it is.
James But you did know Charles, you’re an absolute genius Charles, that’s it.
Charles Oh, don’t patronise me James, you know how much money I’ve put into this show that I haven’t even found yet?
James Listen, listen, opening night, I want 25 seats set aside.
Charles Set aside?
James 25 seats.
Charles Twenty-five?
James Right, scattered throughout the theatre. Two here, two there, three up there.
Charles Are they paid for?
James They’re filled.
Charles NO, no, no, no.
James The seats are filled Charles.
Charles Madness.
George Uncle Jim?
James Hello boys.
George Can I speak to you for a minute please?
James Certainly. 25 seats Charles.
Charles James.
James You’re great, it’ll be fantastic.
Charles 25 scattered seats, who’s paying for them?
James Throughout the theatre.
Charles Er, yeah, who’s paying for these 25 scattered. . . ?
James They’re filled up seats Charles.
Stagehand Look
Jack This is great, I’m flying.
Stagehand We don’t need to use much pull at all see, as long as we’ve got the balance there.
George Mother asked me to take the boys out for the afternoon. She said, she only wanted a bit of quiet, but she was trembling so badly she couldn’t even finish her tea. I’m not a fool Uncle James, I deserve to know the truth.
James I don’t know the truth, she won’t talk about it.
George But you think it’s serious?
James I could be. The doctor felt she should go and have some tests.
George Then you’ll have to convince her to go then.
James I’ve tried, she won’t listen to me. And lately, to be quite honest it seems that all my beast intentions for your family have come to nothing but harm. Apparently I’ve made quite a mess of things.
George It’s Grandmother, isn’t it? She’s run you off, hasn’t she?
James Oh, she’s absolutely tried with great effort and. . . and perhaps with good reason.
George It isn’t you Uncle Jim. She just. . . she just doesn’t want to see mother hurt anymore.
James Look at that. How magnificent. They boy’s gone. Somewhere during the last 30 seconds you’ve become grown up. Right then. I think you should be the one to talk to her George.
George But I won’t know what to say.
James You’ll do fine. You’ll do just fine.
Smee Mr Barrie sir, sorry to interrupt, it’s Nana, he expired backstage.
James What’s happened?
Smee I think his costume was too tight.
James It’s not possible, too ti. . . George give me a minute, I’ll be back.
Stagehand Put that one tight, and here, last one. Good.
George Whoa.
Jack Can I have a go?
Stagehand Yeah, you can have a little go. Give that a tug. Go on.
Michael Can I have a go?
Stagehand In a minute.
Michael Can I have a go Jack?
Jack I have to concentrate.
Stagehand Stop it now boys.
Jack No Michael, Michael.
Stagehand Stop it about boys.
Jack No don’t do that.
George Ow.
Voice What’s happened?
Stagehand Oh no, oh no, no, sorry, I’m so sorry.
Jack George?
Doctor Mr Barrie, Mrs Davies would like a word with you. No, just Mr Barrie.
Sylvia Did you encourage this?
James Encourage what?
Sylvia James please. You know perfectly well what. George won’t allow them to set his arm unless I submit to an examination.
James I see, well I suppose you’ll have to then, ‘cos he’s quite a stubborn young man when he sets his mind to it.
Sylvia This is absurd. They won’t tell me anything different.
James Different? So you’ve already spoken to a doctor then.
Sylvia That is not your concern. My understanding is that my condition may be quite serious. However, my wish is that life should go on as normal. So, I’ll have the examination, and I’ll take whatever medication they advise, but I don’t want to know what they’re for. And I don’t want you enquiring into it any further.
James Wouldn’t dream of it. Mary, Mary?
Sylvia Peter will you help George to fold a pocket handkerchief please, they’re in the linen cupboard, darling.
Peter Yes mother.
Sylvia Jack, how do you manage to always come untucked? Would you check your shirt-tails in the intermission please?
Jack Yes mother.
Mrs Du Maurier You’re not planning on attending any after theatre events are you?
Sylvia Only for a short time if we do. The tickets!
Mrs Du Maurier With the children?
Sylvia George! Um, possibly. Would you see if George has the tickets please?
Jack All right.
Sylvia I’ll just check my dressing table.
Mrs Du Maurier Sylvia, those events are entirely. . .
Michael Mum!
Sylvia Mother, please see if George has the tickets. Michael, where are your socks? Erm, wait here, don’t move.
Mrs Du Maurier Take her feet George. We’ll need some more blankets. Take Michael with you, would you?
Michael She looks much worse than when we were at the cottage.
George Sshh Michael.
Charles Those 25 seats, has anyone shown up?
Ticket Seller No sir, not yet.
Charles Precisely. Have there been many people asking for seats?
Ticket Seller Yes sir.
James Charles.
Charles I suggest you start selling them.
James Charles.
Charles Yes James?
James Seen any of the Davies family yet this evening?
Charles The 25 seats, are they filled?
James It’s taken care of.
Charles Yes, yes. Who did you invite? Because obviously whoever you invited decided not to come.
James The seats will be filled, I promise.
Charles Yes, you’ve been promising me a. . .
Man Charles.
Charles Hello, Mr Stand.
James Have you seen the Davies family this evening?
Usher No sir.
Mrs Du Maurier Jack has gone to get Dr Brighton.
Sylvia Oh no mother, I don’t need a doctor.
Mrs Du Maurier Yes you do dear. I think I’ll get some camomile to help you relax. Peter will be here if you need anything.
Sylvia Peter. Peter.
Peter Can I do anything mother?
Sylvia NO darling. You must go to the play.
Peter I can’t do that.
Sylvia Yes you can. I need you to. I need you to come back tonight and tell me every bit of it. Please.
Peter It’s only a play mother. It doesn’t matter. What do you want?
Sylvia Take it out. Open it. I’ve never been so proud of you.
Usher Last call please ladies and gentlemen. Last call for the play.
Charles Yes, yes, yes. We have time to sell those 25 seats. Play’s starting.
James Charles.
Charles What?
James They’re here.
Charles Who’s here?
James You’ll forgive them being a bit late. Short legs, it’s a long walk from the orphanage.
Charles I’m not clear what they’re doing here.
James They’ve come to see the play. That’s the 25 seats.
Charles 25 seats given to orphans? Right, now my nightmare is complete.
James You can start your play now.
Charles Your play!
Peter Thank you.
Man Looks like we got one of the better dressed ones.
Smee I just want you to know, I think you’re a wonderful dog.
Nana Thanks. Woof. Woof.
Actress I won’t go to bed, I won’t. I won’t.
Nana Woof.
Actress Nana it isn’t six o’clock yet. Two minutes more? Please. One minute more? Nana I will not be barked. I tell you, I will not. . . be. . . barked.
Nana Woof.
Actress Eeeeh!
Mrs Darling Who are you? No-one there, yet I feel sure I saw a face. My children!
James How is she?
Mrs Du Maurier She’s resting.
James May I see her?
Mrs Du Maurier No Mr Barrie. I don’t think we need to include you in everything that goes on in this household.
George But she’d want to see him.
Mrs Du Maurier Be quiet George. And since, as I’ve discovered, you’ve seen fit to conceal certain facts about my daughter’s condition from me. I feel no remorse at excluding you from my home.
George But you can’t s. . .
Mrs Du Maurier Go upstairs George now.
George Stop ordering me about. This isn’t your home! It’s our home. Just ‘cos mother’s needed your help recently, doesn’t give you the right to rule over her existence. She’s not a child anymore, and neither am I. If she wants to see Uncle Jim, she can see Uncle Jim. There’s nothing you can do about it. Mother?
Sylvia Yes darling. James. No, your play! Look at all this. I’d have come tonight, it’s just. . .
George Mother you need to rest.
Sylvia So many things to do here. Let’s see, this needs mending. Four boys, no end of patches. Can’t seem to keep up. I haven’t the time for all this. Don’t look at me like that James, you make me feel so utterly exposed.
James Boys, would you give me a moment with your mother please? Thank you. They can see it you know. You can’t go on just pretending.
Sylvia Just pretending? You brought pretending into this family James. You showed us we can change things by simply believing them to be different.
James But not all things Sylvia, not everything.
Sylvia But the things that matter. We’ve pretended for some time now that. . . you’re a part of this family haven’t we? You’ve come to mean so much to us all that. . . now, it doesn’t matter if it’s true. And even if it isn’t true, even if that can never be. . . I need to go on pretending. . . until the end. . . with you.
Actor How do you do it?
Peter Pan You just think lovely, wonderful thoughts, and they lift you up in the air.
Actor You are so nippy at it, couldn’t you do it very slowly once? Yes, I’ve got it now Wendy.
Peter Pan I must blow fairy dust on you first. Now try, try from the bed. Just wriggle your shoulders like this and then let go.
Actress 1 I flew.
Actor How ripping.
Actress 2 Lovely.
Peter Pan Now join hands.
Actor Look at me.
Actress I do like it.
Charles Genius.
James Hold still, don’t move.
Sylvia Yes, I feel a little better. Oh, it’s been a bad day, that’s all. Now I want you to go back to the theatre. Find Peter.
James Of course.
Sylvia Thank you.
James You’re sure there’s nothing else I can do for you?
Sylvia No. Well. . . I have always wanted to go to Neverland. You did promise to tell me about it you know.
James Aye, I did.
Sylvia It’s a bit late for it tonight though, I’m afraid. Perhaps sometime soon though.
James Most definitely.
Wendy Do you mean we shall both be drowned?
Peter Pan Look how the water is rising. It must be the tail of the kite we made for Michael. You remember. It tore itself out of his hands and floated away. The kite! Why shouldn’t it carry you?
Wendy Both of us.
Peter Pan It can’t lift two, Michael and Curly tried.
Wendy I won’t go without you Peter. Let us draw lots to see who is to stay behind.
Peter Pan And you a lady. Never. Ready Wendy?
Wendy Peter!
Peter Pan Don’t let go Wendy!
Wendy Peter, I’m frightened!
Peter Pan Hold on Wendy! To die will be an awfully big adventure.
James I’m glad you came.
Mary Well, I’ve never missed an opening. So I. . . assume you’ve heard about Gilbert and I?
James Yes. Quite the scandal, so I’m told. How are you?
Mary I’m all right. How are you?
James I’m sorry.
Mary Don’t be. Without that family you could never have written anything like this. You need them. Goodbye.
Mrs Snow Mr Barrie.
James Mrs Snow.
Mrs Snow Why thank you, that was quite the nicest evening I’ve ever spent in the theatre.
James Oh that’s very kind of you to say. Thank you. Where’s Mr Snow this evening?
Mrs Snow Oh, I’m afraid he’s left us. And he would so have loved this evening. The pirates and the Indians. He was really just a boy himself, you know. To the very end.
James Terribly sorry. How’re you doing?
Mrs Snow I’m doing well enough now, thank you. I suppose it’s all the work of the ticking crocodile isn’t it? Time is chasing after all of us, isn’t that right?
James That’s right Mrs Snow.
Niece Aunt Rose, your drink.
Mrs Snow Thank you. I mustn’t keep you, you’ve a lot of friends here.
James It’s lovely to see you.
Mrs Snow Thank you.
James I’m terribly sorry once again.
Niece Was that Mr Barrie?
Mrs Snow That was Mr Barrie.
James Pssst. What do you think?
Peter It’s about our summer together isn’t it?
James It is.
Peter About all of us.
James That’s right. Do you like it?
Peter It’s magical. Thank you.
James No, thank you. Thank you, Peter.
Woman 1 This is Peter Pan, how wonderful.
Man Really, you’re Peter Pan? Why, you must be quite the little adventurer.
Woman 2 Look it’s true, he has no shadow.
Peter But I’m not Peter Pan, he is.
Doctor And there’s been no improvement in that since my last visit?
Sylvia No. Has James been by at all today mother?
George Dr Brighton, may I have a word?
Doctor Excuse me please.
Sylvia You haven’t been keeping him from me have you?
Mrs Du Maurier As a matter of fact, I actually hoped he might come, it would have proved me wrong about him. Of course, with the success of his play, the whole of London must be knocking at his door. I’m sorry dear. What is it?
Michael It’s a secret.
Jack Quiet Michael.
Michael I didn’t say anything.
George Mother, could you come downstairs for a moment?
Mrs Du Maurier ‘Course she can’t come downstairs, what are you thinking of George?
Doctor Actually, I think a trip downstairs might do her good, Ma’am.
Mrs Du Maurier Okay?
Sylvia What have you been up to?
George Just wait and see.
Michael It’s a play.
James It’s not just a play Michael, it’s the play. ‘Course we’ll have to make do with a few compromises. Much of it will have to be imagined.
Peter As it should be.
James As it should be.
Peter Michael come and sit here next to mum.
James When you’re ready.
Nana Woof. Woof.
Actress I won’t go to bed, I won’t, I won’t.
Nana Woof.
Actress Nana, it isn’t six o’clock yet, 2 minutes more, please.
Nana Woof.
Wendy You know fairies, Peter?
Peter Pan Yes, but they’re nearly all dead now. You see Wendy. When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about. And that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first laugh becomes a fairy. So there ought to be one fairy for every boy and girl.
Wendy Ought to be, isn’t there?
Peter Pan Oh no, children know such a lot now, soon they 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. Who is that? The Redskins were defeated? Wendy and the boys captured by the pirates? I’ll rescue her. I’ll rescue her. Oh that’s just my medicine. Poisoned? Who could have poisoned it? Why Tink! You’ve drunk my medicine! I was poisoned. And you drank it to save my life? Tink. Are you dying? Her light is growing faint. If it goes out, that means she’s dead. Her voice is so low I can scarcely hear what she’s saying. She says she thinks she could get well again, if children believed in fairies. Do you believe in fairies? Say quick that you believe. If you believe, clap your hands. Clap louder. Thank you. Thank you.
Mrs Du Maurier It’s all right, you go.
James That, is Neverland. So many perfect days. I really began to believe we’d go on like that for ever.
Peter Oh stop it, she wasn’t going to stay with you for ever. She had a husband, my father. She never cared for you the way she did for him.
James I’m not trying to replace your father Peter. I could never do that.
Mrs Du Maurier You’d best let him go. George, would you take the boys back to the house? I’ll be with you in a moment. Go on dear.
James I’m terribly sorry, I’ve ruined everything I’ve touched in this family.
Mrs Du Maurier Stop giving yourself so much credit, Peter’s grieving. It has nothing to do with you.
James Perhaps, if I just had a bit more time with him.
Mrs Du Maurier No Mr Barrie, that won’t be good enough. If a bit more time is all you can provide, you’d better leave him alone.
James I know you don’t much care for me Mrs DuMaurier and I respect that, but, I loved your daughter very much. And I love those boys. And I think they need me right now.
Mrs Du Maurier Is that so? And for how long after?
James Meaning what?
Mrs Du Maurier Sylvia has requested a co-guardianship for the boys in her will. You, Mr Barrie, and myself.
James And what do you have to say about that?
Mrs Du Maurier I shall respect my daughter’s wishes, something I should have done more of while she was alive. But if you feel you’re not ready for such a commitment, I assure you I can certainly look after the boys by myself.
James Do you think I could abandon those boys? Sit down Peter.
Peter Mother pasted it back together, after I ruined it. And when I saw the play, I just started writing, and I haven’t been able to stop.
James She would be very pleased to know that. Listen, I’ve just spoken with your Grandmother, and I’m staying, for good.
Peter I’m sorry I was so horrible.
James Don’t worry.
Peter It’s just, I thought she’d always be here.
James So did I. But in fact, she is. Because she’s on every page of your imagination. You’ll always have her there. Always.
Peter But why did she have to die?
James I don’t know boy. When I think of your mother, I’ll always remember how happy she looked, sitting there in the parlour, watching a play about her family, about her boys who never grew up. She went to Neverland. And you can visit her anytime you like. If you just go there yourself.
Peter How?
James By believing Peter, just believe.
Peter I can see her.
James Good boy.
