Open Writing

An exhilarating sea voyage with colourful companions, soaring mountains, a deep, crystal-clear lagoon, and magical flora and fauna, were just some of the highlights of the Codman Clan's latest half-term holiday adventure.

For once the whole family agreed the outing was 'fantastic', or in Only Son's supposedly 'cool' vocabulary 'wellgood.'

Before you all turn a lighter shade of pale green with envy at the thought of us exploring some far-flung tropical paradise whilst you've been admiring England's speciality - Autumn mists, drizzle and monotonous, monochrome grey days- I should confess our adventure lasted for just a couple of hours.

If I also reveal that the outing cost just over £20 and involved taking the car on a round trip of some 15 miles or so, you'll probably stop feeling envious and may even guess that the outing in question was, in fact, a trip to the pictures - as we used to say when I was a lass.

With all those earlier clues you may also have guessed that the film we enjoyed so much was 'Finding Neverland', the story of the gestation and birth of one of the nation's best-loved stories for children of all ages 'Peter Pan and Wendy' by J.M. Barrie.

Now if, like me, you've seen many of the many other versions of this famous tale, you may be thinking, as I admit I was, that this latest twist is one you can miss without really missing, if you get my drift. Well you'd be wrong. 'Finding Neverland' is the Peter Pan story with a difference, a tale within a tale, the story of the experiences, people and places, that inspired J.M. Barrie to pen his perennial bestseller that continues to charm each new generation of children everywhere.

The story flits from fun-filled scenes in Kensington Gardens, where Barrie (Johnny Depp) meets the Llwelyn-Davies boys whilst out walking his dog, to truly magical scenes when Barrie's successful play is staged in their house and garden especially for their sick mother, Sylvia (Kate Winslet). Depp was surprisingly convincing as a softly spoken Barrie - he even managed a sustained and realistic Scots accent - but my 'best actor' award must go to young Freddie Highmore. Little Freddie, who played Peter Llwelyn Davies, the boy who allowed Barrie to use his name for his hero, acted everyone else off the stage.

All-in-all Finding Neverland is a must for anyone who likes to nurture their inner-child, although it must be said that some younger children may find the pace of this film rather slow compared to previous all-action, swashbuckling versions of the Peter Pan story.

Perhaps because I'm a scribbler and always fascinated to learn what inspires other writers, I followed-up our cinema trip with some further research on J.M. Barrie and Peter Pan. I was surprised to learn that Barrie, born in 1860 in Kirriemuir, Scotland, was the ninth of ten children born into a family of handloom weavers. He overcame these humble beginnings to attend Edinburgh University and worked as a journalist on various newspapers before trying his hand at writing plays.

His most famous work 'Peter Pan' was first staged on December 27th, 1904, at the Duke of York's Theatre in London. Following the play's great success, Barrie granted the copyright of his classic to great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in 1929, with instructions that the amount raised through it should remain a secret.

This year, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first production of Peter Pan, the hospital has held many extra-special fundraising events, with many still to come. Oxford Street's famous Christmas Lights will have a Peter Pan theme and on December 19th a Christmas Gala will be held- most appropriately - at the Duke of York's Theatre.
In Summer publishers and literary agents were invited to nominate writers to pen a sequel to the classic Peter Pan and Wendy story. The competition winner is expected to be announced next Spring and the new story should be published in 2005/6.

What a great idea. Everyone will be a winner. The Hospital,which is the largest centre for research into childhood illnesses in Europe, will gain more funds towards the £123m they are trying to raise for rebuilding. And Peter Pan fans, young and young-at-heart, will have another chance to visit Neverland for some new adventures. Now that's magic!