Pantsoc have apologised after neglecting to pay for the rights to their latest production of Peter Pan. The money for the show’s rights was meant to go to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Simon Lewis, head of Pantsoc, explained to Vision that this was simply an oversight and that “Where applicable, we would always pay rights for shows.”
After being made aware of their error, Pantsoc are now rectifying their mistake: “Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We were not previously aware of this due to the unusual nature of the copyright surrounding the character of Peter Pan, and as a result we are now working with YUSU and contacting the relevant department at Great Ormond Street Hospital to ensure any liabilities are met.”
Pantsoc continued: “If it is the case that payment is due, of course we will honour that debt.
“Where applicable, we would pay for rights to shows, but in practice that is not applicable for the vast majority of our performances.”
Chris West, YUSU Activities Officer, explained: “Great Ormond Street Hospital have been contacted, and we are awaiting a reply from them to find out what can be done retrospectively to cover any liabilities that have arisen.”
J.M. Barrie bequeathed the entire rights for Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1929. Since 1996, the European Union and British governments have upheld the copyright for the story of Peter Pan perpetually, so that the child hospital can collect the money.
A representative from Great Ormond Street Hospital explained how useful this money is to their charity: “Over the years, it has been enormously valuable – not only in financial terms but also as a symbol and icon – and has brought significant income to the hospital.”
G.O.S.H. is one of the leading children’s hospitals in the world and has a prolific media presence.
Last year, the charity took part in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. In addition to that, for 2013, they are planning to redevelop two thirds of its wards, on top of the £50 million the hospital needs to make every year to provide resources, research and care to all of its patients.
Pantsoc remains one of the University’s most popular societies, and its shows every term usually attract huge crowds and receive excellent reviews from the campus press.