For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday Review

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 · 106 ratings  · 16 reviews

Kickoff your review of For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday

I had read that Sarah Ruhl, having composed her version of Eurydice to explore her grief at the loss of her male parent and the end of a long term relationship, would not do "personal" plays once again. She as well didn't read reviews of her produced plays, I was told. Perhaps--I have no idea--she wanted to insulate herself from the sometimes fell theater establishment, where smart reviewers with sharpened knives might very well whittle your esteem and literary purpose downward to dust. I don't know whether she I had read that Sarah Ruhl, having composed her version of Eurydice to explore her grief at the loss of her father and the stop of a long term human relationship, would not do "personal" plays again. She as well didn't read reviews of her produced plays, I was told. Maybe--I have no idea--she wanted to insulate herself from the sometimes roughshod theater institution, where smart reviewers with sharpened knives might very well whittle your esteem and literary purpose down to dust. I don't know whether she has changed her listen on reading reviews, just I had hoped she would create more "personal" plays, since Eurydice is (even so) my favorite play she has written, in role because I establish it so moving.

And then: In the last two books I have now read by Ruhl, she seems to indeed accept abandoned this "no personal sharing!" approach, in her drove of poems, 44 Poems for You, poems constructed not for posterity, necessarily, merely conceived as gifts to individual people. In that location always seems to be a kind of disdain in the literary earth for some kinds of "occasional" verse, just Ruhl embraces the notion in that volume. And I like information technology very much.

And in this play, For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday, Ruhl writes to honor her forever young and playful mother, at 70, who when she was growing upwardly in Davenport, Iowa, played Peter Pan. The play has purposes other than the gift it surely is to her mother, Kathy, and to her family unit. Every bit with playwrights such as Harold Pinter (who explored the beats of silence within dialogue), Ruhl explores the nature of language in talk, or what it was like for her mother's family talking together around the table, that rhythm and overlapping joyful (or tense, when arguing) noise. The complimentary play of linguistic communication in conversation. She likewise explores Kathy'southward family unit every bit Wendy, Peter and the Lost Boys as she creates what she calls a Midwestern Noh drama virtually the ghost of their begetter. In the third movement (not act; this is more musical than typical written drama) the family is all in their sixties or seventies, returning in their (creaky, older, but nevertheless blithesome) means to Neverland.

It's likewise a play nigh the life of the theater, where Kathy stays "a little while longer, where y'all don't have to abound up." Yes, of grade, J. M.Barrie'south Peter Pan figures in here, too: "I won't abound upward!"

True, we know all about the Peter Pan syndrome, and the damage tolled for some in never truly "growing up," too, and some of Kathy's brothers and sisters exercise more conventional jobs, became doctors, and and then on. Not to advise Kathy was irresponsible; she was too a teacher. And by the accounts of her girl, a proficient mum.

Ambitious, for such a personal enterprise? Of class, merely Ruhl pulls it off, and over again, movingly. I happen to be personal friends with Kathy Ruhl, so I found the play moving in part because I know her, for the honoring of her spirit and vivacity. Ruhl says in a preface that a challenge for her was to create a play not as it is typically accomplished, exploring the depths of terrible family secrets and lies, but a play about a happy, loving family.

Do yous believe in Peter Pan, every bit Tinker Bell asks, through Wendy? If so, every bit you will recall, Wendy encourages the audience to handclapping the dead Peter Pan to life through clapping. Sarah's mother Kathy played the elderly Peter Pan in the Chicago production of the play. Of this act of clapping, Ruhl writes, "My hope was that every time Peter Pan died in this play, and the audience resurrected her by clapping, that my mother would live forever."

Sweetness, right? Magic! The magic of being forever young, of family, of the theater, and imagination. Quietly powerful play.

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Sep 27, 2018 Doug rated it it was ok

Sadly, once over again I take not cottoned to nonetheless another Ruhl play, and then should perchance just surrender on her. She never seems to engage me in any fashion, and this one is woefully both underdeveloped and still heavy-handed, with much of the dialogue stilted and leading nowhere. As a managing director, I'd be difficult pressed to even attempt to stage this, equally near of information technology is just 5 people sitting and talking with very little in the manner of action until the very finish. Sadly, in one case again I have not cottoned to yet another Ruhl play, then should perhaps just give upwardly on her. She never seems to engage me in any fashion, and this one is woefully both underdeveloped and yet heavy-handed, with much of the dialogue stilted and leading nowhere. Every bit a director, I'd exist hard pressed to even attempt to stage this, every bit nigh of information technology is just five people sitting and talking with very piffling in the fashion of activity until the very end. ...more than

This is one of the best plays almost both family and the theater I have ever read. I've always been a wary reader of Ruhl's piece of work every bit she can be a little likewise twee sometimes. And yet in this story, something that would have as many landmines as writing virtually something so personal every bit ane'southward own family unit she effortlessly glides through, leading the audience on a dream tour of her mother'southward life and family unit.

Even the playwright's notes fabricated me choke up. So good.

Aug 29, 2020 Marry rated it actually liked it

My own nostalgia with Peter Pan and family was rekindled in this play. Much honey.

"Y'all tin can grow upwards before you dice or not grow up before you die, merely either way you're going to die."

Absolutely, I'g probably not in the best mindset for a premise like this--but between the cover and my indelible love for the Mary Martin version of Peter Pan, I decided to spend the evening reading it.

I wish it was... more. And less? For all the lofty dialogue, information technology felt too hollow. Similar chunks had been bitten out of the story, leaving behind something not quite fulfilling. Nevertheless what remained was som

"You can grow up earlier you die or not grow up before you dice, merely either mode you're going to die."

Admittedly, I'm probably not in the all-time mindset for a premise like this--but betwixt the cover and my enduring love for the Mary Martin version of Peter Pan, I decided to spend the evening reading it.

I wish information technology was... more. And less? For all the lofty dialogue, it felt likewise hollow. Like chunks had been bitten out of the story, leaving backside something non quite fulfilling. Yet what remained was sometimes likewise much. Information technology didn't feel narratively or practically existent. Whenever I read plays, I try to imagine the parts every bit distinct characters, simply I had a hard time imagining anyone performing this.

I especially felt similar the secondary part, the swoop from the real world into Peter Pan, didn't experience earned. Peculiarly since a expert portion of the preceding dialogue was taken up by politics and religion, non the themes of growing up, youth, fear of death, pain of losing parents, etc, integrated into the "Peter Pan" segment.

It might be the blazon of play that feels more substantial staged...

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I love Sarah Ruhl! She's absolutely one of my favorite playwrights. I found that this play didn't grab me or resonate with me in the aforementioned way her other works practice. At that place was a lot to relish, and the ending was thought provoking for me. (I'll avoid elaborating...no spoilers.) Withal, I didn't love it as much every bit I wanted to.

I am hopeful that seeing the play performed might move me more than than reading information technology on the page.

Jul x, 2019 David rated it really liked it

This is a 3.5 for me; giving it iii stars seemed unfair.
The dialogue--the rhythm of the thing is great. Nevertheless, I experience like Ruhl'due south done better in others of her plays. The theme was heavy-handed and the whole thing seemed mechanical in a fashion that wasn't spontaneous or divine-feeling. It's quaint; it's touching; it'south fun--it's too sparse and underdeveloped. This is a iii.five for me; giving it 3 stars seemed unfair.
The dialogue--the rhythm of the thing is bully. However, I experience like Ruhl's done improve in others of her plays. The theme was heavy-handed and the whole thing seemed mechanical in a mode that wasn't spontaneous or divine-feeling. It'due south quaint; it's touching; information technology's fun--information technology's besides thin and underdeveloped. ...more

A group of siblings, themselves approaching senior historic period gather together as their father dies and work through their views on life, death and growing up. I liked information technology. It's a talking heads show and the youngest character is still 15-20 years older than me but I constitute bits to relate to from each of the characters (and some things from each that I absolutely did non, of course) and it moved me. A group of siblings, themselves budgeted senior age gather together as their father dies and work through their views on life, expiry and growing upwardly. I liked it. Information technology's a talking heads show and the youngest graphic symbol is still fifteen-xx years older than me but I found bits to relate to from each of the characters (and some things from each that I absolutely did not, of class) and it moved me. ...more than

While this isn't my favorite Ruhl, this mannerly piece is nearly certainly worth a read. Asking questions about mortality and playing with the concept of adulthood, For Peter Pan is its best when 1 remembers that this was intended to exist a very personal gift from a girl to her extra mother.

November 28, 2021 Brad rated it liked it

Two-and-a-one-half stars. I had problem connecting Deed One and 2 to Human action Three. Grief and loss and family, then suddenly Peter Pan. Themes overlap some, but non in the same way. I'g sure not wanting to abound up/historic period factors in, but I didn't feel information technology. Two-and-a-half stars. I had trouble connecting Act One and 2 to Act Three. Grief and loss and family, and then suddenly Peter Pan. Themes overlap some, simply not in the aforementioned way. I'm sure not wanting to abound upward/age factors in, but I didn't feel it. ...more than

Nov 28, 2021 Mark Valentine rated it really liked it

Aye, this is a gift to the theater. At that place are and so many theatrical events in this show that make it a huge play to perform--everything from flight on phase, a ghost, projections, a live dog to consume Chex Mix, and overlapping, intelligent conversations.

I would dear to run across this play performed.

December 05, 2018 Abigail rated it liked information technology

I don't know what I was expecting.... I'd be actually interested to run into this phase. I did, all the same, observe the ending extremely moving.

Cute, Peter Pan, no complaints. :)

Feb 19, 2022 Kenzie rated information technology information technology was astonishing

OOOOOOOFFFFFF This one Injure!!! Information technology was simply beautiful. I cried a lot. Well worth the read. Very cornball and well-written.

Sarah Ruhl (born 1974) is an American playwright. She is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Accolade for a distinguished American playwright in mid-career.

Originally, she intended to exist a poet. However, after she studied under Paula Vogel at Brown Academy (A.B., 1997; M.F.A., 2001), she was persuaded to switch to playwriting. Her fir

Sarah Ruhl (born 1974) is an American playwright. She is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for a distinguished American playwright in mid-career.

Originally, she intended to exist a poet. However, afterward she studied under Paula Vogel at Dark-brown Academy (A.B., 1997; Yard.F.A., 2001), she was persuaded to switch to playwriting. Her first play was The Dog Play, written in 1995 for i of Vogel's classes. Her roots in poetry can be seen in the way she uses language in her plays. She besides did graduate work at Pembroke Higher, Oxford.

In September 2006, she received a MacArthur Fellowship. The announcement of that award stated: "Sarah Ruhl, 32, playwright, New York Urban center. Playwright creating vivid and audacious theatrical works that poignantly juxtapose the mundane aspects of daily life with mythic themes of love and war."

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