Year 6 Play - Peter Pan

[JMBarrie]

Hi everyone, just wanted to get a sense check on this.

Would you think it odd that a school would choose Peter Pan as school play given the controversy around J.M. Barrie’s depiction of various characters? The story was maybe acceptable in that time. But now when you read it (and this is true of many other texts and is debatable for that reason as well): “wild warriors” described in the original text using terms we wouldn’t use now, misogyny against and bullying of Wendy and Tinker Bell by the “lost boys”?! Am I overthinking here and should I, (in Elsa’s words), let it go? Or am I right in thinking that a school should be more thoughtful when it comes to choice of school play and what it conveys to the children (and parents)?

I feel like I should say something. Not expecting them to cancel the play. But at least get them to acknowledge that they should have given this more thought and hope that they are more sensitive going forward?

Perhaps they have given it lots of thought and are using a specially adapted version for primary schools. It's possibly the Out of the Ark production about which there's a fair bit of information available online so maybe do some more investigating before speaking to the school. It is hard trying to identify something that's suitable for a Y6 cast of 60-90 children so it may also be a good move for you to have an idea of the alternatives out there so you are able to offer some suggestions about what you feel would have been more appropriate.

Must be tiring being so 'Woke"

If it’s a coed school I’d be worried about the enormous skew towards male lead roles vs female. The other stuff, I believe you are overthinking. It’s a nice story about kids going on an adventure.

There are multiple versions of "Peter Pan" available, including modern plays written specifically for schools. The school itself may make their own modifications as well.

You are making the assumption that they have not "given this more thought" and that they haven't been sensitive. Perhaps, if you are genuinely worried about any potential damage that performing this play might do to a child, have a conversation with the school to find out more about it.

However, if you are going to do that, you may also need to pull a wide range of books from the shelves of their libraries, including all fairy tales, disney-related materials and classics such as the Chronicles of Narnia.

Or, and just a thought, you could trust the highly-trained and experienced professionals to handle the education of children. You could trust that they will appropriately highlight and challenge the changing attitudes of society over time and make use of it as a teaching point.

I'm just intrigued as to how they'll manage the flying.

You need to read the script before you can judge, OP. It’s an adaptation, and will likely be one specifically for school children.

@SnuggyBuggy

I'm just intrigued as to how they'll manage the flying.

Stand on a chair and flap...... if our school productions are anything to go by

Wouldn't have thought those wires would be in a typical school budget these days.

@Zodlebud loads of traditional plays are 'boy part' heavy due to when they were written. Out (huge) school just makes all parts unisex for auditions etc Boys and Girls can do for any roles. Same as girls play Shepard's & kings and boys can be angels in nativity.
OP I think you are way over thinking it.
It will be a primary school adaptation

@frillysockmum2 not all schools behave the same though, even in this day and age. Brilliant if they do though.

Thank you all for your responses. I will leave it as I will assume (as suggested), that they have given it thought.

It’s not so much about being “woke” as being sensitive. Nothing wrong in trying to be thoughtful and sensitive to how these might affect others around us. Perhaps I am too aware / too thoughtful; possibly a function of being in a multicultural family/circle where some are more sensitive to these than others may be.

When I was about 6 I was taken to see Peter Pan at the theatre. I thought the cast were really flying, and thought I would be able to if I practised enough.

Our primary school had a girl playing Mowgli in an adaptation of The Jungle Book, so you might not need to worry about the gender balance in characters. However, I'm sure you could have a quick word with one of the teachers in charge of the production and find out which version they're using.

I know at ours the kids just audition for whatever part they want regardless of gender. You could just check that?

Yh at my DCs' primary the parts were given out in pretty-much a gender-blind way. Mary was a girl as a rule (tho there was a lad in DD's year who enjoyed playing women) but otherwise anything went.

Angels are boys btw; hence Angel Gabriel, Angel Michael etc. DS2 was Angel Gabriel in reception when a male classmate was the Hoity Toity Angel.

Their leavers play was usually something with a vast array of roles, mostly boy or girl IME.

Actually girls get a better go tbh - no one is going to blink an eye at a girl playing the Pied Piper (she did) or Oliver Twist (seen that too) or the White Rabbit; but a boy might get a bit of a ribbing if he wanted to be Alice.