TRIBUTE TO OUR DEAR FRIEND

[Xavier Pan]

Through this thread, I would like join the tribute that Céline has paid to our actual Peter Pan director on her marvellous Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sirjmbarrie. I just want to write a few lines in honour of our dear friend, who is soon to leave her position at GOSH.

I met her six years ago, in the summer of 2010. I was only a student taking a language course in London. Prior to my trip, my passion for Peter Pan had led me to contact her - wishing that during my stay she could bring me closer to the character in a way that books had never done before. I must confess that I sent my message with the certainty that I would receive no answer, as usually happens when you try to contact an institution with no specific purpose. But I am happy to say, and this should not be a surprise to any of us, that she never distinguished between people from the publishing or theatre world and people, like me, who were just passing by London and were curious to know more on Peter Pan. She was always kind and helpful. She did not only clear up any doubt that you may have on the character, but she also took you to his universe (as if she had some fairy dust to sprinkle on you - that was the impression that I had every time that I met her). For all this, I feel blessed for having known her. I hope that, whatever path she may take from now on, life brings us together again, because there may be many Peter Pan directors but there is only one Christine. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING