Scotch College

Scotch Production of ‘Peter Pan’ Takes a New Flight Path

‘To live would be an awfully big adventure’, J. M. Barrie tells us in ‘Peter Pan; or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up’. Scotland’s most famous play has entertained audiences since it premiered in 1904, and is an affirmation of life, childhood and the imagination. Scotch College and Presbyterian Ladies’ Colleges’ presentation of Peter Pan is a new interpretation on the children’s classic.

This production incorporates circus, dance and game playing. In an age where most children’s imaginations have been limited by contemporary media and computerised gaming, theatre is perhaps one of the last places for young people to play ‘make believe’. Even grown-ups are allowed to join in. This interpretation of Peter Pan focuses on the motif of children playing ‘let’s pretend’. Surely, it’s the imagination that makes life the ‘awfully big adventure’ that Peter wants us to take.

Sixty students from Year 7 and 8 boys have been rehearsing for their upcoming production of Peter Pan since May this year. Director (Scotch teacher and grown-up), Michael Waugh, has been working with them on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday afternoons. He has been joined on Sundays by choreographer, Harlene Hercules, who has been working to develop dance sequences, bringing to life the forests of Neverland, Peter’s home underground and the Mermaid’s Lagoon.

The students have also been working with circus skills teacher, Teresa Blake, who has been helping to develop the flying effects used in the play. Teresa is an experienced teacher and performer and has worked with companies all over the world, including Circus Oz.

One of the key features of this production is the tripling of Peter Pan. The character of Peter will be played by three actors, each boy representing a different part of Peter’s personality. In Barrie’s original script, Peter is at once a charismatic leader, a conceited adventurer, and a lost boy searching for a mother: different actors take on each of these three elements. Of course, if there are three Peters, we also need three Tinkerbells (who will, no doubt, cause three times the trouble).

Peter and Tinkerbell are joined in Neverland by pirates (led by the malevolent Captain Hook), mermaids, an Indian Tribe, and the cheeky Lost Boys.

Join Wendy, John, Michael and the Darling family for the awfully big adventure at Scotch College this August.