Then and Now: Peter Pan

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My friend and I always talk about how when you watch something you haven't seen since you were a child you see things completely differently.  There are things that went over your head or didn't stick in your memory at all.  Inspired by my viewing of Peter Pan Live! I've decided to start a series that might end up being only this one.  After all, it all depends on me watching something I haven't seen since I was a child and having a lot to say about what I remembered it was like and what it really was like.

What I remember:

I remember the Darlings running away from home.  I remember lots of flying - "Think lovely thoughts."  I remember thinking Tinkerbell was horrible.  I remember the song about Neverland, and the "I won't grow up" song.  I don't recall if I wanted to run away with Peter but I do recall wanting to fly. 

What I realized:

Actually, Tinkerbell isn't really all that bad when you measure her against other characters.  Sure, she's jealous of Wendy and tries to have her killed and she is strangely possessive of Pan, but she's makes more sense than either of the two leads.

Let's start with Pan.  He is the hero, right?  The whole play is centered around him and his joyous youthful adventures.  You are supposed to want to run away with him, right?  But if he is the symbol of everything wonderful about childhood, well then he fails.  He's selfish, cruel, and shows a remarkable lack of curiosity.  He actively mocks learning.  In song and dance even.  Pan does what he likes and doesn't much care about the consequences.  I've worked with children for years and I have to say I am offended.  Yes, kids can be like that at times - but so can adults.  I suppose there's a reason Pan has a whole syndrome named after him but there are actually plenty of wonderful qualities associated with childhood and Pan seems to possess none of them.

Now Wendy is so strange that I can't decide if this is because gender roles have changed so much or she is just horribly written.  She is clearly in love with Pan and runs away with him.  Ignoring the fact that she brings her brothers with lets talk about what she does when they get to Neverland.  Does she get to run around and have adventures with everyone?  No she has to be a mom.  She goes to Neverland not avoid growing up, but to play at growing up.  Pan is father and "husband" but he is hardly a supportive partner to Wendy - frequently mocking her efforts to act as mother - a role he specifically brought her to Neverland to fill.  Wendy is an effing doormat.  So when she finally escapes Neverland does she get to go off an have adventures?  No she has a daughter and sits every night in her childhood nursery waiting for the return of the selfish brat that she still hasn't gotten over after all these years.  And when he finally returns what does she do? She offers up her entire female line as some sort of sacrifice to Pan.  Does she completely forget that she nearly died in Neverland or does she not care that she's sending her child to a dangerous place with a forgetful and careless boy?  Is this some wacky form of Stockholm Syndrome?

Since Pan doesn't change (and he wouldn't have to grow up to grow as a character) the only way the play really works for me is if Pan is presented as a tragic figure.  Showing how his unwillingness to grow up denies him the opportunity to fully enjoy and participate in life.  But then you have Wendy there still adoring him and waiting for him and giving him her children.  Which makes it feel like the play is trying to present Pan as an ideal.  But he isn't.  He's not even very much like a real child.

I don't know how much was rewritten for this version - I do know that they added a song.  (But only because I watched a behind the scenes thing -as I mentioned, my memory of the songs is hazy. ) I think if I'd been in charge of the rewrite I would have changed the ending.  Let Wendy go off and live a life and have her own adventures.  Let her really grow up and not fixate on the boy who kidnapped her and her brothers.  Let Pan return to an empty nursery and wonder where she is.

I am not saying I totally hate Peter Pan - in terms of cultural literacy I think the play is very important.  But I have to say I see things very differently through adult eyes.  Perhaps that's because I'm a stodgy old grown up now. 

Who'd happily climb a tree and still wants to fly.

On a semi - related note Tom & Lorenzo are doing Musical Monday's again.  They did Grease last Monday which I think is the perfect example of a movie looks totally different through grown up eyes.  I've seen it plenty of times since becoming a "grown up" but I just might tackle it at some point for this series.