Product Description

As well as being the author of the greatest of all children's plays, Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie also wrote sophisticated social comedy and political satire. The Admirable Crichton and What Every Woman Knows are shrewd and entertaining contributions to the politics of class and gender, while Mary Rose is one of the best ghost stories written for the stage. For this edition, the texts of these plays have been newly edited and are supplemented with an in-depth introduction and detailed annotations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #347450 in Books
• Published on: 1999-07-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review

"Oxford Press does readers a great favor in reviving four of Barries best plays. Crichton and Peter Pan both made the most of being stranded on an island. Hollondale's introduction and notes add to the pleasure."--Illinois Central College

About the Author
Peter Hollindale is Senior Lecturer in English and Educational Studies at the University of York. He edited Peter Pan is Kensington Gardens and Peter and Wendy in World's Classics. This is the novel rather than the play of Peter Pan.

Customer Reviews

100 Years of Peter Pan 1904-2004
This book is a MUST for anyone who likes Peter Pan. It contains the entire text of the 1904 version of the stage play "Peter Pan," which is the basic text used by the Broadway-musical version of the play. That's how it all began! This book also contains a long section of footnotes & historical background, invaluable for any Peter Pan fan. (James M. Barrie's novel about Peter Pan was written 7 years after the play & does NOT contain much of the dialog of the play.)

The Novel Was Better - A Review by Tinkerbell II
I admit it is odd that, after being a fanatical Pan Fan for three years, I just recently read a copy of the play (back in March), which is essentially where it all began. I was surprised at how different it was from the novel "Peter Pan and Wendy". There are several instances in the play that are not in the novel (for instance, the children try to catch a mermaid), and also some things that have been added exclusively to the novel (like how Wendy issues examinations on home-life). There were introductions to each act describing the setting, which is helpful in envisioning the Darling's adventures.
I was sorry to find that the play lacked the emotion of the book, although this was most likely because I was not actually watching actors perform it. Dialogue and stage directions can be pretty dull, even with the wonderful narration provided by Barrie.
Even though it was lacking in emotion, most of the characters are more well-developed in the play. Peter and the Darlings are more realistic in this edition, probably because they have more dialogue. I even liked Tink better in the play than in the book. However, I was disappointed at what small parts the Lost Boys had. Even when they did make appearances, their dialogue was not as funny as it was in the book. The same goes for Mr. Smee.
It was also strange to read such a different ending. Slightly the Lost Boy does not even get Mrs. Darling for his mother! This particular edition also includes the short play "An Afterthought", where Peter returns when Wendy is grown. I surprised to hear that Wendy had married a lost boy, although they do not say which one she marries.
All in all, I preferred the novel over the play. It was far more descriptive and touching. But I still recommend the play as a necessary alternative addition to any Peter Pan library.
(By the way, the other plays in this book are excellent, too.)

P.S. Check out the other Peter Pan-related reviews by Tinkerbell III!