Peter and Wendy [Paperback]

Liza Lorwin (Adapter), J.M. Barrie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2012

“Inventive and entrancing. . . . This adaptation by Liza Lorwin flashes with humor and adventure calculated to entertain youngsters without shying from the dark themes that address and move adults.”—The New York Times

“Delightfully engaging and theatrically magical . . . Mabou Mines uncovers deeper layers of meaning in a story most of us thought we knew well. Like J.M. Barrie, [Liza Lorwin] is interested in more provocative stories of growth and loss.”—San Francisco Examiner

The legendary Mabou Mines theater company, under the direction of Lee Breuer, created Peter and Wendy as an original piece of fantastical puppetry in 1996. Since then, in every city where it has been performed, it has charmed audiences anew and has been met with enthusiastic critical reviews. This story of Peter Pan and the Darling family is an inspired adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s 1911 novel, in which the meditation on the loss of childhood is more lyrically reflected upon than the original stage version. With the help of shadow puppets in the Japanese bunraku tradition, Peter and Wendy straddles two worlds, between the real and make-believe—making it perfectly at home in the theater.

Liza Lorwin has been associated with Mabou Mines since 1979 and served as producer on a number of their seminal works, including The Gospel at Colonus, The Warrior Ant, and Peter and Wendy. She has written two other plays, Salt and Lacuna, and has published fiction.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Liza Lorwin has been associated with Mabou Mines since 1979 and served as producer on a number of their seminal works including "The Gospel at Colonus," "The Warrior Ant" and "Peter and Wendy." She has written two other plays Salt and Lacuna, and has published fiction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group (October 16, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559363282
• ISBN-13: 978-1559363280
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,980,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic, when not denatured by Disney, July 21, 2005

By 

A. Burke "adrien rain burke" (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Peter Pan (100th Anniversary Edition) (Hardcover)

Yes, there is darkness in Peter Pan - and in Alice, too, and in The Wizard of Oz - and certainly in Felix Salton's Bambi. These books, while written for young people, and which may be described as fantasy, have real plots and real characters who are not perfect. Peter Pan is selfish and stubborn as well as charming because children are not angels - they are little humans. Alice is highly critical of the adults in her dream world - adults who act very arbitrarily and often foolishly, as adults often do. Bambi is about the effects of human cruelty on animals; it deals with death and pain. One of the indications that these are good books, and not merely children's books, is that they can be read at different stages of life with new layers of understanding. You don't have to outgrow them, and they are better than many a book written for adults. The 'real' Pan and Alice and Bambi may not be suitable for the very youngest children, but please don't deprive your children culturally by never giving them anything but Disney's cutesy interpretations. For one thing, Barrie and Salton and Carroll were great writers who used words beautifully and had insightand feeling. Children deserve art as much as adults.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best edition as far as I know, May 14, 2007

By 

Paula Mastroberti (Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peter Pan (100th Anniversary Edition) (Hardcover)

I'm a researcher in illustrated books and I'm interested particularly in Peter Pan's illustrators. I think Hague got the spirirt of the Barrie's story; his pieces translate the text not only as mere fantasy tale for children; they catch the the adult view, and the text's dual audience.

I recommend this publishing for everyone, parents, children and whoever appreciate the art of illustration.

42 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How can you pass this up?, May 9, 2004

By 

Ashley Quinn "Ash" (IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peter Pan (100th Anniversary Edition) (Hardcover)

There is no way I can pass this book up everytime I'm in the bookstore. And I own two different copies of this fantastic tale. Yet, I still pick the book up and flip through the first few pages, smiling ear to ear at the wonderment that makes up Peter Pan.

Peter is a boy that refuses to grow up. He lives in Neverland with his fairy, Tinkerbell, and the Lost Boys. He visits the nursery of Wendy, Michael, and John Darling to hear Wendy's marvelous stories, and one night loses that pesky shadow. When he comes back to get it and tries to stick it back on, Wendy discovers this new boy in their nursery and soon learns about his amazing lifestyle. Entranced by thoughts of pirates, mermaids, and fairies, Wendy, Michael, and John embark on an amazing adventure into a world so unlike ours.

It's bittersweet, it's insightful, it's magical, it's everything and more a child or an adult could ask for in a story. You won't want to leave Neverland, and some days, you may find yourself staring out the window, looking for that hint of light that is Tinkerbell or the boy effortlessly flying between trees and buildings.

Without a doubt the greatest children's story of all time, one that we've all heard, whether it was through a movie or a stage production. Experience the real magic though, and read Barrie's brilliant novel about the boy who won't grow up.