Ella Hickson's version of J.M. Barrie's much-loved story puts the character of Wendy firmly centre stage, in an adaptation that is refreshingly modern but never loses the charm of the original.
Winter 1908. Snow is falling across London. Wendy Darling and her brothers sleep peacefully in their bedroom, as their parents bicker downstairs. In a sudden flurry of snow their window blows open, and into their lives tumbles a mischievous boy called Peter, followed by a fractious fairy called Tink.
With the aid of a little fairy dust, Wendy agrees to fly with Peter to Neverland, seeing not only the promise of an awfully big adventure, but also the chance to rediscover the key to her parents' lost happiness. Once there, she will give the Lost Boys a run for their money, defeat Captain Hook and his pirate crew, and ultimately, learn what it means to grow up.
Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Ella Hickson's Wendy & Peter Pan premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December 2013, and was revived by the RSC in 2015. It was staged at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, in an international co-production between Bunkamura in Tokyo and Leeds Playhouse in the UK.
The play will suit any theatre company or youth group looking to stage a classic tale, full of magic, adventure and strong female roles.
'Sensitive, funny and intelligent... I laughed, I gasped, I cried - it is wonderful to be transported so completely by a piece of theatre'
— WhatsOnStage
'Delightful... a warm, sensitive and humorous reboot'
— Evening Standard
'Resoundingly successful... witty, pointed, adventuresome... Hickson isn't just subverting this story, she is strengthening it'
— The Times
'A witty retelling of a classic that will surely make theatre lovers out of youngsters experiencing the art form for the first time'
— Guardian
'In Hickson's clever version, Wendy, Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily get their kick-ass, girl-power moment. But her re-telling is also uncommonly thoughtful and nuanced... it seems set to become a modern classic'
— Telegraph
About the Author :
Ella Hickson is an award-winning writer whose work has been performed throughout the UK and abroad.
Her work includes: an adaptation of Sophocles' Oedipus (Old Vic, London, 2025); Swive [Elizabeth] (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe, 2019); ANNA (National Theatre, 2019); The Writer (Almeida Theatre, 2018); Oil (Almeida Theatre, London, 2016); Wendy & Peter Pan (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013 and 2015; Tokyo, 2021); Riot Girls (Radio 4); Boys (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton / Headlong Theatre / HighTide Festival Theatre, 2012); The Authorised Kate Bane (Grid Iron/Traverse Theatre, 2012); Rightfully Mine (Radio 4); Precious Little Talent (Trafalgar Studios/Tantrums Productions, 2011), Hot Mess (Arcola Tent/ Tantrums Productions, 2010) and Eight (Trafalgar Studios/Bedlam Theatre, Edinburgh, 2008/9).
Author photo by Peter Hickson
J.M. Barrie (1860–1937) was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan.
Review :
'Sensitive, funny and intelligent... I laughed, I gasped, I cried - it is wonderful to be transported so completely by a piece of theatre'
'Delightful... a warm, sensitive and humorous reboot'
'Resoundingly successful... witty, pointed, adventuresome... Hickson isn't just subverting this story, she is strengthening it'
'A witty retelling of a classic that will surely make theatre lovers out of youngsters experiencing the art form for the first time'
'In Hickson's clever version, Wendy, Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily get their kick-ass, girl-power moment. But her re-telling is also uncommonly thoughtful and nuanced... it seems set to become a modern classic'
'Spectacular... Hickson's script is light and witty, with deeper tinges of loss, love and liberation that all children – young and old – can relate to. And of course, there's all the added fun of pirates, fairies and a ticking crocodile... flies along at an exhilarating pace... an awfully big adventure for for girls, boys and adults alike'
'A joyous and magical extravaganza... Hickson's twist on the story is faithful to the 121-year-old tale in all the right ways, and updates it in all the others, creating a fresh and bold version of the story... inspired... exudes joy from start to finish... the perfect show to entertain the whole family over the festive season'
