This Space for Rent

The Peter Pan election

Apparently, there's a stage version of Peter Pan, and one of the things they do in it is when, near the end of the show Tinkerbell drinks some poison that was set out for Peter Pan, the actor or actress playing Peter Pan tells the audience that Tinkerbell will die unless you clap to prove that you believe in fairies. And, in every case, the little boys and girls clap like mad, Tinkerbell comes back to life, and the play ends happily.

There's a story where it doesn't work out so well; the props are breaking, the cast is surly, and by the time Tinkerbell drinks the poison the actress playing Peter Pan just wants to go home, and thus Tinkerbell dies.

Well, here we are in the theatre, and from on top of the pile of broken props and actors, Tinkerbell has just collapsed. As smoke drifts out from the back of the stage, Peter Pan, reeking of gin, staggers out and starts shrieking CLAP HARDER! CLAP HARDER, DAMNIT! NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE PLAY, SO YOU'D BETTER CLAP HARDER!

I'm not clapping anymore.