Rudyard Kipling’s JUNGLE BOOK adapted by Poppy Burton-Morgan

Teacher’s Pack to accompany Metta Theatre’s 2016 production of JUNGLE BOOK

Adaptor & Director | Poppy Burton-Morgan ​ Choreographer | Kendra J Horsburgh ​ Designer | William Reynolds ​ Costume Designer | Kate Lane ​

This pack contains a series of tasks that you can use as before or after seeing Metta Theatre’s production of JUNGLE BOOK.

The tasks are divided into three sections : ● things to make ● things to write ● things to do

Feel free to dip in and out of the tasks rather than working through them from beginning to end.

About the Show: This spectacular new production from the award-winning Metta Theatre brings Kipling’s classic tale crashing into the 21st Century with breathtaking street dance and circus.

Mowgli is finding her way in the urban jungle. With a beat-boxing bin man Baloo, graffiti artist Bagheera and a skateboarding Wolf crew, this heart-warming coming of age story will astonish and amaze.

About Metta Theatre: Metta Theatre is one of the UK’s leading touring companies – making exceptional theatre and opera at the mid, large and small scale and touring that work throughout the UK. Established in 2005 by visionary Director Poppy Burton-Morgan and Motley trained Designer William Reynolds Metta Theatre is at the forefront of cross-art-form theatre practice, known for combining emotionally powerful performances with imaginative theatricality and striking visual style. Over the last decade Metta have collaborated with some brilliant organisations including the Roundhouse, Young Vic, Soho Theatre, Bush Theatre, Southbank Centre, V&A, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Oxford Playhouse, Manchester Royal Exchange, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Pegasus Theatre, Polka Theatre, Egg Theatre, Bikeshed Theatre.

MISSION STATEMENT

Story is at the heart of every Metta production and we stage those stories using words, movement, music, projection, puppetry and circus. Our work wears its theatricality on its sleeve – we tell stories with imagination – for adults, children and everyone in between. We believe that everyone, regardless of their age or background, should be able to access bold, innovative and intelligent theatre. meta-theatrical: theatre that’s aware of it’s own theatricality – replacing reality with imagination. metta: a Buddhist word meaning compassion, loving kindness, the strong wish for the happiness of others.

Website – www.mettatheatre.co.uk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mettatheatre ​ ​ Twitter - @mettatheatre

Characters: These are the characters that we meet in our version of JUNGLE BOOK.

Mowgli - An acrobatic feral child who is the focus of the story (also represented by a ​ puppet when she is a baby), who is raised by ‘animals’ in the urban jungle

Baloo - A beat-boxing bin-man bear who teaches Mowgli the ​ ways of the streets [jungle]

Rann- A chador clad Kite [a type of bird], who respects Mowgli’s ​ knowledge and use of the appropriate greetings for each ‘animal’ and helps her in her time of need

Bagheera - A graffiti artist black panther who also befriends Mowgli ​

Shere Khan - A gangster rapper tiger with no respect for human ​ life. He is Mowgli’s enemy, as sees himself as rightful King of the Streets [Jungle]

Akela - The skateboarding leader of the wolf pack ‘crew’, who ​ ​ takes Mowgli into their pack when she is abandoned a baby

Raksha - Akela’s break-dancing and skateboarding girlfriend wolf, who becomes a ​ surrogate mother to Mowgli

Kaa - A wise but dangerous snake who performs the ‘hunger dance’ on her street lamp ​ (a chinese pole)

Bandar-Log - A pack of street-dancing monkeys ​ who kidnap Mowgli. They are scatterbrained and foolish

Vee - a homeless Vulture who befriends Mowgli ​ when she is cast out from both the urban jungle and the city suits.

Messua - A city suit, who adopts Mowgli, [rightly] believing her to be her long lost daughter ​

Buldeo - A city suit who takes an immediately dislike to Mowgli and becomes her enemy ​ Plot Synopsis

It is worth noting that there are two famous versions of JUNGLE BOOK - the original by Rudyard Kipling, and the Disney version. There are subtle differences between the two versions, and ours makes reference to both.

METTA’S JUNGLE BOOK ACT ONE Our version of JUNGLE BOOK is set in an urban jungle. All the characters are represented by their city counterparts.

Wolves Raksha and Akela discover a young girl in their territory. They quickly establish she is not one of them, but a ‘suit’ child; the offspring of the wealthy workers of the city. Raksha is quickly enthralled by the child and decides to take it in as one of her own. When Shere Khan discovers the wolves have taken in the girl he demands the child as his quarry. Raksha refuses. The tiger retires in anger.

Akela takes Mowgli to the Council Rock to be recognized by the wolves. The wolves are unsure of whether to accept Mowgli, but Bagheera, the panther, and Baloo speak for Mowgli’s acceptance into the wolf pack. This angers Shere Khan and he vows one day to kill the girl.

Baloo and Bagheera become Mowgli’s teachers and instruct her in the lore of the streets [jungle]. Mowgli learns the greetings of all the ‘jungle’ people. Suddenly, a gang of Monkeys appear, throwing rubbish and creating chaos in their wake. Two of the Monkeys steal Mowgli’s mobile and kidnap Mowgli before Baloo and Bagheera can do anything about it. The Monkeys take Mowgli to Shere Khan who has orchestrated the kidnapping. He gives them money in return for Mowgli’s phone. Kaa, the snake sees the encounter - Shere Khan has power over but he owes her money so she is not disposed to help him. The Monkeys take Mowgli away and Shere Khan approaches Kaa. She gestures for the money she has just seen him accept, but he refuses to give it to her. A fight ensues, which Shere Khan wins.

Elsewhere, Mowgli is now lost in the city streets, the Monkey’s still her captor. She spots Rann, the kite, a friendly face, and performs the kite greeting. The Monkeys swiftly move on with Mowgli in tow.

In another part of the city, Baloo and Bagheera happen across Kaa. Baloo asks for Kaa’s help in finding Mowgli. Kaa agrees, if only to get revenge on Shere Khan. They bump into Rann, who is able to show them which way the Monkeys took Mowgli.

The scene changes to Cold Towers, the home of the Monkeys. Mowgli does not fit in here. Baloo and Bagheera appear and try and fight the Monkeys, but there are too many of them. Its is Kaa’s appearance that halts the Monkeys - she has total control over them. The Monkeys follow Kaa meanwhile Mowgli, Baloo and Bagheera finally have the chance to escape.

The scene moves back to the wolves territory, where Baloo is sweeping the streets. Bagheera enters. She has bought a suit for Mowgli; a sign that it is time for Mowgli to return to the ‘suits’ in the city where she belongs. At first Mowgli is reluctant to don the suit and return, but with the threat of Shere Khan’s rage growing ever more apparent she eventually leaves.

Mowgli walks through the city until she comes across a place that seems familiar. She happens across the home of Messua and Buldeo who are having a BBQ. Messua recognises Mowgli but isn’t sure why (Mowgli is actually her long lost daughter). Buldeo forces Messua to return to the party. Mowgli sees the BBQ and has an idea to use the flames, the ‘red flower’ to defeat Shere Khan - his one fear being fire. She grabs the BBQ and leaves.

ACT TWO We return to the wolves territory. Akela the leader of the wolves misses his ‘kill’. The other wolves see this as a sign of age and weakness, and a sign he can no longer lead the pack. Shere Khan appears to win the wolves support. Mowgli appears and Shere Khan tries to persuade the wolves to cast Mowgli out. Mowgli takes out the ‘red flower’. Shere Khan immediately cowers in fear. Mowgli flicks fire at Shere Khan, burning him. The rest of the pack are surprised by his weakness and laugh at him. Mowgli however has lost patience with the wolves who were so quick to cast her out so she bids her friends goodbye and returns to the city where she belongs.

Back in the city Messua and Mowgli are reunited. Messua tries to make Mowgli conform to the ‘suits’ standards, with little success. Raksha comes to visit Mowgli and tells her that: Shere Khan is plotting his revenge. Mowgli, however, does not feel threatened.

Messua and Buldeo take Mowgli to a restaurant. On the way, they bump into Vee, the Vulture. She is begging. Initially, Messua is oblivious to her. It is only when Mowgli stops, that Messua sees her and give her some change. Mowgli’s table manners are awful and she cannot use the cutlery. Shamed by Buldeo Mowgli runs out of the restaurant in tears. She finds Vee the Vulture who offers Mowgli shelter from the rain under her umbrella. Mowgli gives Vee her jacket. Suddenly, Shere Khan enters. A chase ensues, with the police quickly following. The police almost arrest Shere Khan, but he breaks free and runs towards the edge of a building. He jumps, misses the next building, and falls to his death.

Mowgli flees the scene and finds Messua. The police are on her tail, but she successfully avoids them, until she sees they have arrested Kaa. Mowgli explains to Messua that Kaa previously saved her. Messua persuades the police to leave Kaa with her, and while they are searching for Mowgli Messua picks the lock on Kaa’s handcuffs and frees her. Messua understands that the streets is where Mowgli really belongs and the two say an emotional farewell.

Mowgli returns to the wolves territory. She tells them of Shere Khan’s death. The wolves are now ready to accept her but is she ready to accept them ? …

Rudyard Kipling’s THE JUNGLE BOOKS THE JUNGLE BOOKS is a collection of stories that relate the experiences of a human child, Mowgli, who is adopted and raised by wolves in an Indian jungle. The Mowgli stories in The Jungle Book are followed by a series of animal fables that pursue similar themes. These stories feature such familiar characters as the mongoose Riki-Tikki-Tavi. Some editions of Kipling's work place all the stories of Mowgli in one volume and all of the animal stories in a second volume.

Disney’s THE JUNGLE BOOK This version is very similar to Kipling’s original. However, the story ends when Mowgli returns to the village - a happy ending where he is reunited with his family. In addition, the Disney version include vultures, which are seen in our version, but not Kipling’s. Disney are also releasing a live action version of THE JUNGLE BOOK in April 2016.

Kipling’s Life and Times

RUDYARD KIPLING was born in Bombay on December 30th 1865, son of John Lockwood Kipling, an artist and teacher of architectural sculpture, and his wife Alice. Young Rudyard's earliest years were blissfully happy in an India full of exotic sights and sounds. But at the tender age of five he was sent back to England to stay with a foster family in Southsea, where he was desperately unhappy. The experience would colour some of his later writing.

When he was twelve he went to the United Services College at Westward Ho! near Bideford. He had poor eyesight which handicapped him on the games field so the Headmaster, a friend of his father, encouraged him to write.

In 1882, aged sixteen, he returned to Lahore, where his parents now lived, to work as a journalist. In his limited spare time he wrote many remarkable poems and stories. He returned to England before marrying an American. It was in America that he wrote The Jungle Books. He returned to England in 1896 and gradually gained more and more renown as a writer, winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907. He continued to write until his death in 1936.

Things to make

Shoebox Scene Task Using the lid of shoebox recreate either an urban, or a jungle scene. You may choose to include some characters from the story. As an extension task, you could add urban elements to the jungle scenes and visa versa. What effect does this create?

Newspaper Task In small groups, pick a section or element of the story to report on. This could, for example, be Mowgli returning to the village, or the fear of an attack by Shere Khan · You could draw pictures to accompany your article. Try and set it out on a double page spread, and in columns like a real newspaper. Make sure you give it a really creative headline. You could explore media bias- for example writing it from the point of view of a tiger lover, or from the point of view of someone who hates tigers. When these are completed, you can put them together to create a class newspaper.

Mask Task Think about the animals involved in the story. Make a mask of one of the animals. Perhaps once the masks are finished, you could put together a short scene with some of the different characters.

Stereotypes Task Think about the different characters that we meet in the play. Are the characters stereotypes? In groups, cut out celebrities who you think are similar to the characters and create a collage. Discuss with the rest of the class why you have chosen these celebrities, and what are the similarities between them and the characters.

Things to write

Rap Task Our version of JUNGLE BOOK is set within a hip-hop urban world, and includes sections of spoken word. Use this premise as a base for to write your own group raps which summarise the plot. You could find a basic drum beat which you can then practice their rap to. This could culminate with a performance for the rest of the class.

Critic Task This task could be completed after seeing the show. Pretend you are a theatre critic. Write a review of JUNGLE BOOK. What did you like? What did you think could be improved? What star rating would you give it? You could have a class discuss about the format of reviews, and even use the completed reviews as a class blog.

Description Task Find a description of either an urban environment or a jungle environment (this could be taken from the book). Imagine you are in that environment. Write a description about that place. Think about your five senses.

Things to do

Improvisation JUNGLE BOOK involves a scene where Mowgli returns to ‘civilisation’ and is reunited with her mother. Create improvisations about the conversations which might have taken place at this meeting. How does Mowgli feel about leaving the jungle/streets? Does Messua, the mother, want to know what adventures Mowgli has had? Discuss all the different emotions that the characters might be feeling.

Freeze Frame. Pick three key moments from the story. Create freeze-frames which depict them. See if the rest of the class can guess which part of the story it is. Ask the rest of the group to come up with the internal thoughts of each of the characters who are on stage. This might describe their emotions or opinions about the scene.

Styles Exploration In our version of JUNGLE BOOK, we use many different styles of dance and music. How many different music and dance styles can you think of? In groups, assign yourselves one dance or music form. Create a short piece in this style. As an extension, you could combine one style of dance with a different style of music - what is the effect? Is there a way to make it work?