Peter Pan flies into Easterbrook Hall to celebrate 110 years!
Something very special is taking place in Dumfries this Christmas: Peter Pan is coming home for a very special 110th anniversary adventure on Saturday 27th December, as Tinkerbell sprinkles fairy
dust at Easterbrook Hall in the town that first inspired his creation.
Peter Pan – The Pantomime, has been enjoying rave reviews and capacity audiences throughout December at the Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries where it has been running since 8th December. The
adaptation, created by The Raging Gibbon Collective Theatre Company, will give 27 performances
over the festive period, celebrating Dumfries’ close connection with author J M Barrie and tells
the story of Peter and Wendy and their Neverland Adventures. JM Barrie found his original
inspiration for this classic story at Moat Brae, Dumfries – Birthplace of Peter Pan, and over a
century later the town has responded with this brand new production. Professional actors have
been cast in the principal roles from across the UK and there is a strong local team behind this
venture including producer Sandy Sweetman, sound crew, stage crew and backdrop artist Mark
Bellingham. 
Saturday 27th December marks the 110th anniversary of the first ever performance of the
original play which debuted on December 27, 1904 as the stage play called Peter Pan or The Boy Who
Wouldn’t Grow Up, at Duke’s Theatre London. All attending the two performances this year will be
treated to an extra special show.
Raging Gibbon’s Co-Director, Rik Thorpe said: “To perform the story of Peter Pan in the place that
first inspired it is a dream come true, and being able to celebrate this anniversary with two
performances makes it extra special. We’re all fans of the original story and we’ve done
everything we can to make sure this production will be the celebration it deserves to be”.
Dumfries actor and musician, Grant Dinwoodie has created a unique musical score for the
production “Being part of this collaboration is a very exciting time. We’ve got a great team and
the local community have been supporting us all the way. I’m very proud to be a member of
Dumfries right now.” The show is supported by Dumfries School of Dance and sixteen of their
young dancers will also be taking part in the production, in roles including the Lost Boys.
JM Barrie was given the Freedom of Dumfries in 1924, when he said: “For our escapades in a
certain Dumfries Garden, which is enchanted land to me, were certainly the genesis of that
nefarious work (Peter Pan).”
J. M. Barrie gave the rights to his Peter Pan story to Great Ormond Street Hospital after his death
and profits from this show, as with all Peter Pan productions, will be shared with the charity. All
proceeds from the show’s programme sales are being donated to Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust to
assist in their development of Moat Brae into Scotland’s first National Centre for Children’s
Literature and Storytelling in Dumfries
Joanna Lumley, Patron of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust, has sent a special message for the 110th
Anniversary performances which will be read out to the audiences at 1pm by Project Director
Cathy Agnew and at 7pm by Chairman Dame Barbara Kelly.
Limited tickets for the remaining shows, which run until the 30th December, are available from Easterbrook
Hall, telephone 01387 702020 or online from Eventbrite – www.eventbrite.co.uk/peterpanpantomime
Photo credit Purplebox Productions
