Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Hattix t1_jedhjy9 wrote

Reply to comment by processedmeat in TIL a special law in the UK was created to ensure that the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital will forever be able to collect royalties from stage performances, audiobooks, book releases, etc. of Peter Pan in the UK. This is the only work with an 'exception' to copyright laws. by [deleted]

The gap wasn't that small.

The law in question, the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988 has a provision which applies to specifically;

"The provisions of Schedule 6 have effect for conferring on trustees for the benefit of the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, a right to a royalty in respect of the public performance, commercial publication, broadcasting or inclusion in a cable programme service of the play ‘Peter Pan’ by Sir James Matthew Barrie, or of any adaptation of that work, notwithstanding that copyright in the work expired on 31 December 1987."

Not any derivative work. Not its predecessor, Little White Bird. Not even the 1924 novel "Peter Pan , or, the Boy who wouldn't grow up". Only the 1928 play.

Edit: It's also worth calling out that GOSH has no claim to title, it's royalties only. The hospital cannot grant or refuse any exhibition.

3