PP

having done a placement at GOS, was well clued-in even before i started that peter*pan royalties have been bequeathed to the trust. so every bit of PP merch bought / sold contributes in some way. also have a strange fascination with j*m*barrie and enjoyed his earlier work like the little minister and a window in thrums. have a running joke with a friend about sir barrie himself, one that's not meant to be repeated in polite company, but do ask me when we next meet and i'll be happy to share! 

we try to go to regents park open air theatre every summer, and have yet to be disappointed by the quality productions. also been lucky not to have been rained on, with the london weather at her temperamental best! caught twelfth night and to kill a mockingbird last summer, and the sound of music the summer before. hoping to catch seven brides later this season but we'll see how that goes. 

so PP was a surprise! far from the feel good candyfloss disney-esque entertainment i'd expected. it was dark, twisted, and very cleverly used a great war military hospital as the conceit for telling the tale. flawless execution, although i missed the point of the scary singing woman who'd appear and flounce around during scene changes. maybe that was the point. it really got me thinking and it was fine-tuned with its nuance and layers. felt the themes of growing up and responsibility particularly poignantly conveyed, parenthood (motherhood?) and guidance, a coming of age of sorts all on the backdrop of the young men sent to the front of WWI. the pirates and modern day parallels (captain hook was the military captain, smee was the matron) were a joy to watch. such energy! it was a sad show, and left me with a sense of heaviness and gratitude. grateful to be living in this time of (relative) peace but alive to the fragility of such a situation. often joke that i identify with peter pan and not wanting to grow up  (oh hey, back to school for a second professional degree? sign me up!) and feeling in a state of perpetual arrested development. but also realise that final year is upon me (where did all that time go?!) and life as a doctor awaits. no complaints, this was the end point / start point and i'm excited about what lies in store. 

thoroughly enjoyable evening at the theatre and for the first time with the sibs and their delightful +1s. they've chosen well and i'm happy to see them happy and loved up :)