Children's Favourites

New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 805, 24 December 1954, Page 21

Children's Favourites

PETER PAN, like its central ‘idertcs.' ter, seems never to grow old. When-. ever it is revived or brought out in a new medium it enjoys great popularity, so there is sure to be a huge listening audience for the BBC radio version of the old favourite which will be heard soon in the 2YA Children’s Session. Weilington children will, as it happens, hear it first from 2YC on Saturday, January 8, after which 2YA takes over. The programmes will be heard later in Children’s Sessions from other stations. Although much of the play’s attraction is generally considered to be visual, this adaptation shows how successfully radio can appeal to the listener’s imagination without in any way losing the spirit of the original work. The radio version of Peter Pan includes all the scenes-even the lagoon setting often omitted from stage versions because of production difficulties. The part of Peter is played by Mar-

garet Leighton, and Alastair Sim is Captain Hook. Linking the story is a narration taken from Sir James Barrie’s own stage directions, and the music, by James Cook, is from the original 1904 London production. Peter Pan is not the only old children’s favourite to be heard over the holiday season, for The Water Babies will start in Children’s Sessions from 3YA on Tuesday, December 28, and from 1YA on Saturday, January 1. Like many famous children’s books, The Water Babies was written for one particular child. Grenville Kingsley was still a baby when his father was reminded by his other three childrenfor whom he had already written The Heroes-that he had promised to write a story for their youngest brother. Charles Kingsley went at once to his study, locked the door, and returned in half an hour with the story of little Tom-the first chapter of The Water Babies, Stripped of its sermonising, the story is a charming fairy tale. In the BBC version Tom is played by Scot Finch.