When James was only six years old, his older brother David (their mother's favourite son) died. James spent the rest of his childhood trying to replace his brother for his mourning mother. This attempt to replace a forever-young David would take it's toll on the rest of James's adult life and his writing.

In 1884, James left Kirriemuir and went to London in the hope of making a career as a journalist and writer.

Before this time, James had already been captivated by the theater and after having short stories and several successful books published, James wrote his first play, Ibsens's Ghost (1891). He followed this with Walker, London, during the production of which he met his future wife, an actress named Mary Ansell. The marriage was not a success, but it was during the marriage that James wrote his most successful plays, including his most memorable work, Peter Pan (1904).

Though the marriage had not been very happy, as a wedding gift, the couple had received a St. Bernard dog named Porthos. This dog was to be the inspiration for Nana, the Darling's dog in Peter Pan. It was while walking Porthos through Kensington Gardens that Barrie met the family of Arthur and Sylvia Llewelyn D avies.

James's wife divorced him in 1908. That same year, Arthur Llewelyn Davies died of cancer and in 1910, his wife Sylvia followed him, with the same disease. James was left to take care of all five Davies boys; Peter, John, Michael, Nicholas, and Arthur, whom he treated like his own children. Their older sister, Wendy, had died years earlier.

James had spent time with the boys before their parents's deaths, and he wrote Peter Pan as a tribute to the Davies boys. The play version of Peter Pan was first performed in 1904 and was such a success that it became an annual Christmas event. In 1911, James Barrie wrote Peter Pan in novel form.

James died in 1937 after a long life.

Peter Pan On Stage

The play Peter Pan that you see being performed today, started out as skits acted out for (and with) the five sons of Sylvia and Arthur Llewelyn Davies. This turned into one of the most popular plays ever. However, when it was first written, James's script was originally rejected because it was too complicated. In 1904, plays generally did not involve flying and such frequent and major scene changes.

With the confidence of a friend of James's, a producer named Charles Frohman, Peter Pan was put into production. Actress Nina Boucicault originated the role of Peter. And as if having a 37-year-old woman play a one-day-old boy was not unusual enough, the production of Peter Pan did not follow a traditional path. James gave minimal character notes to actors, as well as only a few pages of script at a time. He was a perfectionist as a director, often keeping cast and crew up to 15-18 hours at a time. Plus, the cast tended to find out about flying at the last minute.

Despite it's complicated technical requirements, unusual rehearsal process and absurd, fantastical plot elements, Peter Pan was a success.

The role of Peter Pan went on to be played by grown women until the early 1980's. Pauline Chase was James's favourite of these actresses to play the role. She played the role for eight years in London. In London, the role would later be played be such famous actresses as Hayley Mills and Maggie Smith.

Mary Martin's successful 1950's production of Peter Pan (for which she won a Tony Award) was recorded for live television broadcast and remade in the 1970s featuring Danny Kaye and Mia Farrow. Other filmed productions of Peter Pan include:
(click on the name to get information about the movies/shows)

Interesting "Pan" Facts

It's true! Wendy Darling was named in honour of a young friend of James's, a girl named Margaret Henley who died at the age of six. Her nickname for James was "my Friendy," but because she had trouble pronouncing the sound "fr", it sounded like "my Fwendy". This became the name "Wendy" in the story of Peter Pan.

Activities and Study Questions

- What do you think it would be like to live forever as a kid and never have to grow up? What are the good and bad things about staying a kid forever? Do you think you'd miss anything if you never grew up?

- For years, the role of Peter Pan was played only by women. In our show, we have two different actors playing Peter; one girl and one boy. Do you think that anything would be different if Wendy was a boy and the Lost Boys were Lost Girls? How would this change the play? Or would it stay the same? Think about this with other stories you know.

- The kids go to bed and then the whole adventure starts when Peter arrives. Do you think it's a dream? Do you remember your dreams? Have you ever had a dream where you were flying? Or one where you were chased by pirates? Write about it!

- In Peter Pan, Mr. and Mrs. Darling disagree about keeping the dog Nana as a babysitter for the children. Do you think it's a good idea to have a dog baby-sit for you? Have you ever had a pet that you felt took care of you in ways, too?

- If you could play with any of the different groups in Neverland (Lost Boys, Pirates, or Blood Brothers), which group do you think you'd like to play with? Which character in that group do you like the most?

- Write a sequel to Peter Pan. Tell what happens when Peter and Jane, Wendy's daughter, fly away to Neverland. Do the same kinds of things happen to them as happened to Peter and Wendy? Does the fact that Jane has been raised 20-30 years later than Wendy change the way she reacts to Neverland?

- Write a biography for your favorite characters in Neverland. Tell about their past. Where did they live before we saw them? How did they end up in Neverland?

- In our production, the Blood Brothers are not representative of a particular Native American tribe, but instead as a group of kids who like to hang out together. They have their love of dancing in common. Do you know kids like this at your school? Can y ou think of something else that brings kids together at your school?

- Describe how you think it would feel to fly through the air like Peter Pan. Make sure you try to use all five senses in your description of the experience! Read what you've written out loud to someone. Maybe it develops into a poem or a song.

- Nobody in Neverland has a mother when the play begins. Why do you think that there are hardly any women in Neverland? Do you that this is a because of the year when the story was written?

- One night, when you are sleeping, a creature flies into your room, awakens you, and asks you to fly away with him/her to a place where there are no adults! Do you go? Would you leave a note? Would you wake up your brothers and sisters and take them alon g? Would you call and tell your friends you'll be by to pick them up?