Roald Dahl: TITLE Production 3/4 Blue Or Red
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Roald Dahl: TITLE Production 3/4 Blue or Red
Main theme/s: to be happy in your own skin: to know that you can make changes and manage problems / to stand up for yourself / to stand up for what is right / to make new friends / to celebrate difference [yours or others’] / to believe in yourself / to have fun!
Scene One: Belle and George
CHARACTERS Belle Dahl George Grandmother Mean Girls x 3 Surfers x 2 [Mime] Bakers x 2 Torquay Book Seller Bottles?? [Mime] Music: Bonjour/Belle Lime in the Coconut Confidence from Sound of Music
Some cast members are in position in township of Torquay [surfers going into Bakery, IGA, Torquay Books…] miming actions, as Belle enters, holding and reading silently from, ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ book.
Belle: Little town, it's a quiet village Every day like the one before Little town full of little people Waking up to say...
Townsfolk: Bonjour Bonjour Bonjour Bonjour Bonjour The baker from Bakers Delight walks to BDelight, carrying some bread… Belle: There goes the baker with his tray, like always The same old bread and rolls to sell Every morning just the same Since the morning that we came To this poor provincial town
Baker: Good morning, Belle Belle: Good morning monsieur Baker: Where are you off to? Belle: The bookshop, I just finished the most wonderful story About a beanstalk, and an ogre, and a--- Baker: That's nice. MARIE the baguettes, hurry up} We alter this to the Bakers name and the book to Fantastic Mr Fox
Townsfolk: IGA???? Look, there she goes The girl is strange, no question Dazed and distracted, can't you tell? Man: Never part of any crowd Woman: Cause her head's up on some cloud No denying she's a funny girl, that Belle
Man 1: Bonjour Woman 1: Good day! Man 1: How is your family? Woman 2: Bonjour Man 2: Good day Woman 2: How is your wife? Woman 3: I need....six eggs Man 3: That's too expensive!
To audience with hands outstretched Belle: There must be more than this provincial life!
Man: Ah, Belle Belle: Good morning. I've come to return the book I borrowed Man: *chuckles* Finished already? Belle: Oh I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new? Man: (chuckle) Not since yesterday. Belle: That's alright. I'll borrow, this one Man: That one? But you've read it twice! Belle: Well it's my favourite: far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!
Change this to George’s Marvellous Medicine. Well it’s one of my favourites. This boy is so sick and tired of being treated meanly by his grandmother that he makes the MOST MARVELLOUS MEDECINE
Man: If you like it all that much, it's yours! Belle: But sir?!? Man: I insist! Belle: Well thank you, thank you very much!
Townsfolk: Look, there she goes, that girl is so peculiar I wonder if she's feeling well Girls: With a dreamy, far-off look Men: And her nose stuck in a book Townsfolk: What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle
‘Mean girls’ stare at her, whisper loud enough for audience to hear and make fun of her Girl 1: Who reads all the time? Why doesn’t she have a phone with her? Like seriously, who is this girl? Girl 2: What a weirdo! Who cares what a boy does to his grandmother – he’s the one that sounds mean to me. Girl 3: Where’d she come from? She’s clearly not one of us. They continue to mime whisper and point and then turn their backs to her. Roald Dahl [RD] enters and walks over to Bookseller [BS]
RD: How are the sales for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory going?
BS: Not so good since Johnny Depp’s version came out. Everyone loves the Gene Wilder version better. [A line or line from song that Wonka says maybe the ‘reverse that’ line???]
RD : Maybe they'll really like Fantastic Mr Fox
BS: I can tell you that one of your greatest fans is sitting over there, points to Belle sitting who is still reading her book
RD: Hi there, how are you finding George?
Belle: without looking up I really like the way RD puts characters in tough situations and they stand up for themselves and they are so confident. Belle looks up to see RD OMG you’re Roald Dahl! You’re him!!
Girls rush over with selfie stick
Girl 1: Are you someone famous?
RD: Oh, I wrote a few books, that you might know, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, BOY, The Giraffe the Pelly and Me… trails off
Belle: How did you write such wonderful characters and books?
RD: It’s not how I did it, but why. I have had some tough times. When I was 3, my sister died and then a few days later my father died and I had to learn to stand up for myself and to be brave.
Belle: Oh I’m so sorry to hear that. How awful for you.
RD: Well it was sad and it was awful. But it also helped me to learn a few things along the way… I am a grown-up who is always on the side of children. I want to let children know they have special powers and how to use them...
Belle: We do?
Mean girls: WE do!!
RD: ignoring the other girls and how they are able to stand up for themselves. Kids also need to have FUN! Take George for example, indicating the book she is holding. All present cast freeze in position as George and Grandma in wheelchair enter George: talking to the audience Most grandmothers are helpful, kind, lovely old ladies, but not mine. She was always growsing, grouching, grumbling and griping…
Grandma: yelling and shaking her finger at him. You're growing too fast! Boys who grow too fast become stupid and lazy.
George: But I can't help it if I am growing too fast.
Grandma: Rubbish, boy, rubbish. Slow and loud… Growing is a nasty childish habit! Grandma shivers and shrinks a little more into her chair as though George is diseased
George: One day I had had enough. I had to do something about it.
Grandma: And STOP eating chocolate! Eat cabbage instead. Mountains of cabbage, especially if it has caterpillars in it.
George: turning to Grandma Yuk! Mummy washes them down the sink.
Grandma: Mummy is as stupid as you are. Grandma now freezes and is quietly removed from stage hopefully unnoticed as G speaks
George: As I was saying, one day I just had to do something about it. So I made a marvellous medicine all by myself! Something whopping! A real shocker! Several chn dressed as bottles with labels walk toward a giant coconut… each bottle could say their name and ‘hop’ into cauldron or behind it and pretend to sizzle and bubble away??? I put lots of disgusting things in
RD: So young George decided to do something about it. He had had enough of being bossed around unfairly, and had enough of the ‘put downs’.
Song: Lime in the coconut Walking around the coconut with an enormous spoon???
George: recalling the moment and stroking his chin it was really good, strong stuff. First she was fried to a frizzle - she had squiggles in her belly, and bangers in her bottom… moves his hips forward and points to his behind and after one mouthful….. man, she just exploded through the roof!! Sound effect
Grandma bursts through the roof: How's that for a bust up!
Belle: to RD George was really confident – wistfully maybe that's what I need to be .
Belle and cast sing Confidence and walk offstage…. SCENE TWO: JAMES ' friendship '
CHARACTERS Belle Dahl James Aunt Sponge Aunt Spiker Centipede Old Green Grasshopper Earthworm Ladybird Spider Sharks [mime] Seagulls [mime] Singaporean student1,2,3
Music: Jaws theme / Friends /
Belle enters singing the part the Confidence song is up to… and joins RD
RD: So something’s bothering you?
Belle: Yes a bit. I'm pretty lonely and I'm new to this place and I'm living with people who don't really know me.
RD: Aahh that’s tough. It actually reminds me of James. Holds up James and the Giant Peach book. He lived with his repulsive aunts, Sponge and Spiker who enter now
Aunt Spiker: Where is that pest? I want him to clean up the mess I left in the kitchen.
Aunt Sponge: looking in the mirror and posing dramatically I look and smell as lovely as a rose. Just feast yourselves upon my shapely nose.
James is chopping wood and crying... Aunt Sponge: Stop that crying immediately and get on with your work you nasty little beast.
Aunt Spiker: You're a lazy good for nothing brute! James runs as fast as he could into the garden Aunt Spiker: The nasty beast will only get into mischief if he goes into the garden. They all freeze for a moment as RD speaks
RD: I wrote this to show James that he had the power to change his life. He took a big risk and crawled into the giant peach, which had grown in their garden. He met new friends in the centre of the peach and had some wonderful adventures.
James is centre stage with Old Green Grasshopper, Centipede, Earthworm, Spider, Ladybug, Silkworm and Glowworm and the inside of the giant peach.
James is trembling at the curious sight
Ladybird: Oh you poor thing – we are Ok we are not going to eat YOU! Try not to be frightened, you are one of us now and we are going to have the most marvellous adventures!
James: Well, I I I guess it’s pretty exciting just to meet you extraordinary creatures!
Earthworm: grumbling I don’t think is going to be good. It will end in trouble.
Old Green Grasshopper: Nonsense, we are going to travel and see wonderful things! Isn’t that so Centipede?
Centipede: There is no knowing what we shall see….
They move as a pack in the peach and point to different things…
Spider: Look at those funny black pointy shapes over there in the water!
Centipede: There are two of them.
Ladybird: there are LOTS of them!
Earthworm: worriedly Wh-Wh-What are they?
Glow-worm: They are sharks! Look! They are swimming towards us!
Heaps of black sharks start to advance
All: Yelling GO AWAY! GO AWAY! LEAVE US!
Glow-worm: Look at the size of their jaws [JAWS music!]
Spider: Oh dear – they are attacking! We’ll be finished!
Ladybird: is there nothing we can do? Looking at James. Surely YOU can think of something? How do we get out of this mess? James: We-e-e-ll, there is something we could try. Silkworm and Spider can spin their threads and then well, we put Earthworm there as bait
Centipede: But why?
James: They’re going to lift this peach right out of the water!
Ladybird: How?
James: Look at all the seagulls. They will fly down and then we’ll hook the thread around the seagulls necks.
Earthworm: Anyone want to ask me what I think? I’m not going to be gobbled up by those greedy birds! Why should I do it?
James: Don’t worry I won’t let them touch you – I’ll lasso them before they get the chance.
ALL: Ridiculous! Absurd! Rubbish! Balderdash! Madness!
OGG: Why it’s absolutely brilliant! Let’s do it!
Earthworm: making strangling, choking dying noises Stop! No! I’m too young to die!
Seagulls are lassooed over and over and over again… and drag the peach across the stage to much cheering
Ladybird: Well done, all of you! Now, let me see….Looks all around and Singaporean students, men in business suits and people with clipboards are walking around …where are we?
Earthworm: Oh no! We’re lost! We’re lost! I knew this was a bad idea!
Spider: Stop grumbling, you’re always so gloomy, you could change your thinking.
James: I think it looks like we’re in Singapore – wow! They really did pull us a long way!
OGG: Why are they wearing those blue badges? What is happening?
Centipede: You ask them James, for some reason they won’t expect us to talk. He scratches head and looks at audience Don’t know why…
Singaporean students looking serious and writing on clipboards and checking water levels.
James: Excuse me, would you be able to tell me what is happening? Singaporean student 1: Well, Singapore is a very small island. Not like Australia – that’s HUGE! We can’t just rely on rain water. We don’t have enough space to collect and store water so we have to use our water very wisely.
Singaporean student 2: Everyone has a responsibility to support the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint – in any way we can. We wear badges to encourage others to do the same. Points to blue badges they are wearing.
Singaporean student 3: Did you know that if you reduce your shower time by one minute, you can save 9 litres of water?
Singaporean student 1: And if you fix your leaky tap, you save up to 10,000litres of water per year. That’s –
Singaporean student 2: - it’s more than 6,600 large bottles of water!
James: You really do care about your environment here. And everything is so clean. What a great place to live.
OGG: If you care about the environment, it will help all of us as well – we have to think of others, we are all on this planet together. All insects nod and link arms and the students pin badges on each of the visitors, who thank them
SONG AND DANCE: Friends then cross to Belle and RD
Belle: Wasn’t that awesome – what a great idea! I loved their other adventures too…
Dahl: A little magic can take you a long way. Having adventures with friends is one of the best things to do!
Belle: I liked reading about James. He longed for a friend, someone like the kind, courageous people in your stories.
Dahl: I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I'll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else. Kindness - that simple word. If you're kind that's it.
CHANGEOVER music: replay of Friends SCENE THREE: The Witches ' revealing your true self kind and unkind
CHARACTERS Belle Dahl Grandma Boy Mr Stringer Grand High Witch Witch 1 Witch 2 Witch 3 Witch 4
Music: Hit me with your best shot – Pat Benatar / Voodoo Doll OR I Put a Spell on You
(Scene opens on Dahl and Belle)
Belle: Your advice is as good as your stories Mr. Dahl! Do you mind if I tell you something else that I think about?
Dahl: Go ahead. I might have more characters that can help you.
Belle: Well I’m shy you see. Friendly, but shy. I need to know how to be braver. It is especially important because I’m beginning at a new school soon.
Dahl: Hmm. Yes. I know about that. I went to boarding school where you need to be REALLY brave.
Belle: Is that where you learnt to write?
Dahl: Not really. It’s where I learnt to use my masks! My pretend face. The one where you can’t really see what’s happening inside me. Everyone uses them you know. People have different ones – polite, unkind, competitive, comical.
Belle: How do you know which one to put on? Dahl: You choose. The one you need to practice is your brave face. Will it be smiling? Concentrating? Aggressive? In my book Witches, people are disguised. They’re experts.
(Scene moves to Witches convention. A big banner is hung that says ‘RSPCC Meeting’ . A notice board reads ‘Strictly Private This Room is Reserved for the Annual Meeting of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children’. Grandma and the Boy walk past.)
Grandma: Tommycot! That’s not what’s happening here my boy. Mark my words. (leaning closer to whisper) Remember I told you I was a retired witchophile. Pointing to sign This is a cover for them. Keep your eyes peeled.
Boy: But Grandma, this hotel is supposed to be one of the nicest in Colac for summer holidays.
Grandma: They’re here. Remember what I told you, exaggerates and acts out each body part as it is mentioned look out for ladies who have bald heads that hidden with wigs, clawed hands that are usually hidden with gloves and toeless feet that make it extremely painful to wear pretty shoes. I’m off to have a little nap before dinner. Be a good boy.
(Boys sits down behind a giant chair and begins to play with two little pet mice from his pockets)
Boy: I hope the hotel manager Mr Dillon doesn’t find us here. He won’t like mice in his hotel.
(Mr Dillon enters and shows a group of ladies into the meeting room)
Mr Dillon: Right this way, if you please. Welcome. Please take a seat. I’ll leave you to your meeting.
(After he leaves the Grand High Witch walks to a podium. And removes her hair, gloves, face and shoes. The Boy makes frightened faces and hides his mice)
GHW: The doors are bolted. You may all re-moof your gloves! And you may re-moof your shoes! And you may re-moof your vigs! Vitches of Inkland. I is harving my breakfast vis morning and am I am seeing out ve window? Re-vvvolting reee-pulsive rrrrotten little children!
Witch 1: We are sorry Your Grandness. We have tried to get rid of one child a week.
GHW: My orders were that every single child in this country shall be rrrrubbed out, sqvashed, sqviirted, sqvittered and frrritered. Hands on hips Do I make myself clear?
Witch 2: CHILDREN ARE FOUL AND FILTHY!
Witch 3: THEY ARE DIRTY AND STINKY! Witch 4: THEY SMELL OF DOG DROPPINGS!
Witches: [Holding their noses and making faces full of disgust] POOOOOO! POOOOOOO! POOOOOOOOOOOO!
Witch 1: Tell us Oh Brilliant One, what will we do?
GHW: Ve will fill every sveet shop in Inkland with Formula 86 slowly Delayed Action Mouse Maker.
Witch 2: Oh Brainy one. Wonderful. Wonderful.
GHW: Ve vill have a little demonstration. Quick Quick! Put on your vigs and gloves and shoes. The greedy little brute vill be here in a few moments.
(Scuffling of witches putting their gear on and Bruno enters )
Bruno: Hello. I have come for those chocolate bars you promised me.
GHW: Darlingk boy! Come here. As an aside to audience I gave him ze fomuala vis morning. And promised him more if he would meet me here at 3pm. (Looks at watch and smiles wickedly) 10..9..8..7..
Bruno: What’s going on? Where’s my chocolate?
Witches: 6..5..4..3..2..1
(Bruno grabs his throat a screams running around witches, runs off stage and throws in a mouse. The GHW lifts it by the tail and they all cackle.]
SONG: VOODOO DOLL /I put a spell on you
Action goes back to Dahl and Belle
Dahl: My witches had horrible masks on. Truly evil.
Belle: Yes I remember. They also turn Bruno into a mouse. But he and his Grandma figure out a plan.
Dahl: They put on their brave masks and find a way to feed all the witches Formula 86.
Belle: Yeah! The Boy and his Gramdma almost say, “C’mon is that the best you’ve got?”
Dahl: Exactly they thumb their noses at the horrible witches…
Song: Hit me with your best shot – Pat Benatar Whole class dance CHANGOVER REPEAT SONG
SCENE FOUR: MATILDA standing up for what is right and belief in self
CHARACTERS Belle Dahl Matilda Mr Wormwood Mrs Wormwood Miss Honey The Trunchbull Eric Other students x 5
Music: Naughty + sound effects
Belle: Mr Dahl, I am wondering what other reasons you write books for kids?
RD: Now Belle, that's a good question. I think I like writing books for children so that they can show the adults around them the way things really are. Some adults just don't get it. They just don’t know the right thing to do. Take Matilda's parents for example - how crazy are they? Fancy not wanting their daughter to read books....
Cut to Matilda's family home where her parents and brother were glued to the TV set with TV dinners in the laps. Matilda is reading a newspaper
Matilda: Daddy can you buy me a book please?
Mr W: A book? What do you want a flaming book for?
Matilda: To read, Daddy. Mr W: What's wrong with the telly for heavens sake? We've got a lovely telly Strokes it like a show host… with a 12inch screen and now you're asking for a book? Shaking finger at her and speaking loudly and in her face You're getting spoilt my girl.
Matilda sits quietly and hatches a plan (props to indicate idea hatching....)
As her parents leave for work and bingo and school, Matilda goes to the public library to read…
RD: You see if someone is really passionate about something they will not let anything stand in their way. They will solve their problems - and Matilda had plenty of opportunities to solve problems as we shall see...
Back to house where Mr W is walking into room where Matilda is reading
Mr W: Don’t you ever stop reading?
Matilda: Hello Daddy. Did you have a good day?
Mr W: What is this trash? Snatching the book from her hands
Matilda: It isn’t trash Daddy – it’s lovely. It’s called The Red Pony by John Steinbeck. He is American.
Mr W: Filth! That’s’ all Americans write – filth!
Matilda: No Daddy, it’s beautiful, It’s… she watches in horror as her father rips pages out of the book and throws it into the waste paper basket
Matilda: Mouth open then speaking loudly That’s a library book, it doesn’t even belong to me!
Cut to Dahl
RD: Most children in Matilda’s place would have burst into tears, but not Matilda. She started thinking about what she could do. She seemed to know that crying or sulking never got anyone anywhere. The only sensible thing to do when attacked - is counter-attack – as Napoleon once said.
Matilda is seen showing the audience she is adding glue to his hat and grinning, returning hat to hatstand, nodding her head and the rubbing her hands together in glee. Mr Wormwood later grabs his hat from stand and sticks it firmly on his head and walks around cockily…
Music: Hi Ho Hi Ho it’s off to work I go….
…and arrives back at the family home Mr W: trying to take hat off to place back on hat stand I can’t get my hat off.
Mrs W: Don’t be silly – here let me take it off. She tries to pull it off and Mr W lifts in his chair as she does so, yelling
Mr W: YEOOWWWW! Don’t do that, you’re pulling my hair and my skin off you stupid woman.
Mrs W: What have you done this time?
Mr W: Nothing YEOOWWWW! Leave me alone will you!!
Mrs W: I bet you were trying to stick another feather in your hat. You used Superglue didn’t you, you daft old man!
Mr W: I DID NOT! Ow, Ow Oww My beautiful head will be ruined He continues to try to get it off, miming and muttering…
Cut to Dahl
RD: See what I mean - anyone with half a brain would realise that a little girl of 3 who could read should be encouraged to read - why ALL children should be encouraged to read!
Cut to Matilda sitting with other chn in rows
Miss Honey: So you like to read books, Matilda
Matilda: I have read all the children's books in the library and some I liked and some I didn't. Some were not funny. Not funny at all. I really liked The lion and the Witch and the Wardrobe but there were no funny bits.
Miss Honey: Do you think all children's books should have funny bits in them?
Matilda: Yes, Miss Honey, I do. Children are not so serious as adults and they love to laugh.
Miss Honey: Speaking of serious – look out for Miss Trunchbull!
Other students: She’s coming - quick!! They all sit up straight in silence and place a Times Tables chart and spelling chart up on wall / blackboard
Miss T: You, you nasty little pest, spell ‘what’!
Eric: confused and stammering W W W What do you want me to spell?
Miss T: Spell ‘what’ you idiot, spell ‘what’! Eric: W-O-T. No no as he watches Miss Trunchbull approach menacingly It’s got an ‘H’ hasn’t it. W-H-O-T.
The Trunchbull grabs him out of his desk and hauls him around the room by his ears.
Miss Honey; Please Miss Trunchbull, let him go, he’s only 5, and ‘what’ is a tricky word. Please let him go!
Miss T: Putting her head close to his Spell it properly W-H-A-T.
Eric: nervous and stammering and wincing with pain,W-W-W-H-A-T spells W w wwhat.
The T: Miss Honey you are too soft on these miserable little worms. You need to be like Mr Wackford Squeers from the famous book, Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. Looking around at all children But then none of you revolting creatures could ever read THAT
Matilda: softly I’ve read it.
Miss T: What did you say?
Matilda: louder I’ve read it.
The T: You empty-headed hamster! You witless weed! You ignorant little slug! You stupid glob of glue! You nasty story-teller!
Miss Honey: Miss Trunchbull – please stop this. This is no way to talk! This is no way to run a school.
The T: My idea of a perfect school Miss Honey is one that has NO children in it! Pause One of these days I shall start up a school like that. Looking straight at the audience, she rocks back and forth on her heels with her thumbs through her braces looking smart with herself; whilst Miss Honey shakes her head and all the children are making twirling motions with their fingers near the ears to indicate she is crazy and poking their tongue out behind her back I think it will be quite successful!
Matilda begins to yell and defend herself
Matilda: I HAVE read that book! I have! She stands up and glares at The T and starts staring and shaking slightly staring at the glass of water with a newt in it, next to The T.
The T: What rot! You’re just a little weasel – you can’t even read.
Matilda: I – HAVE - READ - THAT - BOOK! I have! She gathers more energy and realises she has the power to tip the glass with newt over The Trunchbull
[not sure how we will make or something similar happen that is surprising and will drown out the Trunchbull - a bucket of ‘water’] Miss T is sputtering or slipping or reacting in some way depending on what the magical thing was….
Matilda: to audience Just because you're little doesn't mean you can’t do things. Just because you’re little doesn’t mean you can’t change things.
Song: Naughty + then again as changeover music
“I'm right and you're wrong, I'm big and you're small, and there's nothing you can do about it.”
SCENE FIVE: The Magic Finger being good is more than just about you - it's about protecting our world
CHARACTERS Belle Dahl Girl Mr Gregg Mrs Gregg Phillip William Music: Bullet Proof + Bang Bang you shot me down
(Scene focuses back on Dahl and Belle.)
Belle: You’re right Mr. Dahl, standing up for yourself is really important! It’s something I could practice before I start at my new school.
Dahl: You could even practice at home – the trick is to be polite but determined. And perhaps be ready to compromise.
Belle: But what do you do when people won’t listen? What about people that don’t care about right and wrong?
Dahl: Hmmm… I wrote a bit about this in The Magic Finger. My Girl hated the way her neighbours acted and she tried to talk to them about it, but they wouldn’t listen. So she took matters into her own hands. Well, finger actually!
(Scene focuses on The Girl sitting on a rock] Girl: (to audience) Hello. I’m waiting for the Greggs. They’re revolting people. They hunt you see. Not for food. For fun! I put my Magic Finger on them yesterday…
This is how it works… [three children to come up with three crazy finger changes]
(points at audience and strains, wiggling her finger then sneakily sets of a party popper)… I know they’ll be hunting again today and I want to see what happens.
(The Gregg’s enter with the guns)
Music plays ‘Bang Bang you shot me down...’ (6 birds (puppets on sticks) fly in and get shot)
Mr. Gregg: Hah! First hour we got 10. Now we’ve got another 6. Good shootin’ me boys!
William and Phillip: Thanks Dad.
(4 more bird puppets fly in. The Greggs try to shoot them and miss. The birds come back. They try again.)
Mr Gregg: Hey! What on Earth are they doing? They are really asking for it this time!
Mrs Gregg: Calm your cucumber love. You know you can’t aim straight when you’re angry.
William: Let’s go home. It’s the bad light.
Phillip: Yeah. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? I’m so tired… walk off stage putting their sleeping hats on…
Nightitme black sheet in front of the four of them asleep
(4 birds flap around Greggs as they exit.)
(Girl exits and a big nest and wings are bought in by stage hands. The Greggs snore, yawn and awaken. They have begun to grown wings)
Mrs Gregg: Stop snoring – you sound like a wounded duck!
Mr Gregg: Hmmph. Looking puzzled I think I should start getting ready for Movember - where’s my hand? Where’s my other hand? Whaaaaaat?
Mrs Gregg: Argh! Argh! Argh! (starts to cry in big noisy sobs) What has happened to us?
Mr Gregg: This is witch’s work! William: Mum. MUM. We can fly!
Phillip: We’re not even inside our house anymore – we’re in our backyard!
Mrs Gregg: Well fly down at once and see what is going on. (The boys fly off) We are all going to be eaten by Nelson and Harry. Or foxes. In the night. Eeeeek! (The boys return)
Phillip: You won’t believe it Dad!
William: There’s four ducks living in our house.
Phillip: One was in your apron Mama – cooking breakfast.
William: Two little ones were playing with my train set.
Phillip: And the biggest one was cleaning your gun Dad. (Four Pluk-a-ducks enter with guns)
Mrs Gregg: Shhh! I heard something. Could be Nelson – he’s gotten out again. I wish Gibbo would fix his fence!
(The Greggs peek out of the nest and are faced with loaded barrels.)
Mr Gregg: Stop! Don’t shoot.
Duck 1: Why? You always shoot at us.
Mrs Gregg: But my children are up here. Somebody think of the children.
Duck 2: Yesterday you shot 6 of my children.
The Greggs: We’re sorry. We really are. We didn’t understand.
Mr Gregg: We promise not to shoot any more ducks. Any more deer. Any more rabbits.
William and Phillip: We promise. We promise!
Duck 3: Very well. But you must go home and destroy these guns
Duck 4: Yeah! Smash ‘em into teeny weeny pieces.
(The Greggs and Ducks leave the stage together. Girl enters.)
Girl: Well that was a drama! The Greggs learnt their lesson. They were changed back and never went shooting again. And the Lucky ducks lived happily after. They were now bullet proof… Music: Bulletproof-La Roux Whole class dance
(Scene moves back to Belle and Dahl.)
Belle: Your Girl was very brave to tell people off. She even had the courage to teach them a lesson.
Dahl: Yes. She made the Greggs walk in someone else’s shoes. Really feel the consequences of their actions.
Belle: It’s true. Being good is more than just making your own good choices – it’s about standing up for what is right and reminding others. Changeover - Music: Bulletproof
SCENE SIX: BFG [Asha, Leila Johns, Merrick???? Which class?] it's ok to be different / kindness and love
MUSIC: Geronimo Shepard + Ta Da! + Bond music
CHARACTERS Belle Dahl Sophie BFG [manipulated by two students] Queen Maid Mary Bond SS1 SS2 SS3
Belle: I think I’d like to be a writer like you
Dahl: The most important thing about writing well is to exaggerate! Exaggerate good or bad qualities to create interesting characters, so they are not ordinary – they have to be extraordinary!
Belle: Yes, well your characters are certainly extra-ordinary! But that’s weird. They are NOT extra ordinary – they are plain CRAZY!! Dahl: That’s what I do. Why take the BFG! I made the giants ENORMOUS and DISGUSTING, then I made one the complete opposite – a friendly one, a HUGE adult who was kind to children. I named the delightful Sophie after my own grand-daughter.
Belle: and the crazy words you came up with – snozzcumbers for example.
Dahl: yes isn’t it exciting! As an author you can create magic and you can looks around at audience gobblefunk around with words.
Belle: that was some story – imagine being an orphan and waking up one night to see a huge giant, with a long, thin trumpet and a large suitcase peering into windows! Pretty scary for a kid.
Dahl: Yes, but isn’t he marvellous with those HUGE ears of his! In walks the BFG puppet with trumpet, suitcase and Sophie [small student]controlled by two students BFG: I is hungry!! He grins showing huge teeth
Sophie: looking very frightened P Please don’t eat m m me!
BFG: looks at her and roars with laughter Just because I is a giant, you think I is a man- gobbling cannybull! ME, gobbling up human beans? This I never! All the OTHER giants is gobbling up human bean childers every night – but NOT ME! I is the Big Friendly Giant.[ta da sound effect]
Sophie: well if you are so friendly – why did you snatch me out of bed and run through the night and take me here?
BFG: Because you SAW me. Nobody can be seeing me. You would be scuddling off and yodelling the news, mimicking her and racing to the audience, arms flapping I SAW A GIANT! I SAW A GIANT! Then people would be rushing and bushing me and putting me into the Zoo with all those squiggling hippodumplings and crocadowndillies!
Sophie: But what were you doing? Why did you poke that long trumpet thing into windows?
BFG: I is blowing a dream into the windows of childers. He nods his head and rocks back and forward proudly on his feet
Sophie: Blowing a dream?
BFG: I is blowing nice dreams, happy dreams, lovely golden dreams. I collect them and put them in my bottles he points to his display proudly
Sophie: But HOW do you collect them? A dream is not something you catch hold of? Are you tricking me? BFG: offended You think I is swizzfiggling you? I never! They make a little buzzy-hum that is so silvery soft [quietens voice] it is impossible for human beans to hear it.
Sophie: But YOU hear it?
BFG: How could I not hear it – with these whoppers? Points to his enormous flapping ears
Sophie: reading some of the dream bottles I is inventing a car that runs on toothpaste I has a pet bee that makes rock and roll music when it flies I is able to jump out of a high window and float down safely… I is blowing peace into everyone that teases and bullies Oh that’s so cool! I can think of some people who need some peace in their lives.
BFG: Of course you like it – it’s a phizzwizard! It’s a ringbeller! It’s a whopsy! Takes the jar and shakes it. This one I is blowing into the Queen of England tonight. She is really wanting everyone to be peaceful. FREEZE Scene change to Buckingham Palace while…
Dahl: It was great the way Sophie and the BFG really helped each other to bring more love and fun and good times in to each other’s lives
Belle: That’s right, as you said in The Witches, “It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you.” – and Sophie really loved the BFG. One of my favourite parts is when they drank Frobscottle and did some whizzpoppers… Everytime I read that I laugh – and that makes me feel pretty good, even when I have a bad day. BUCKINGHAM PALACE BFG blows in his dream into the Queen who is sitting on her throne - with Sophie watching from side
Queen: waking up from a dream with a smile on her face Maid summon Head of Secret service 007 and his guards Sound effects Bond music I have made a decision. There is way too much meanness and fighting and teasing. I have a plan. Summon the Head of Secret Service
MAIDMary on telephone Knock at door… Mary opens
Bond: The name’s Bond. James Bond.
Maid: Oh yes the Queen’s expecting you.
Queen: There’s enough damages in the world already. This is not a job for the army. This is a different mission. This is a secret mission. Bond: Very good Madam.
Queen: We’re going to do things differently. Violence and wars have never solved anything. We need to set a good example. Never do anything by halves. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog.
Bond: Yes Madam. Your wish is our command.
Queen: We are making a new Geronimo. We are going to LOVE BOMB every nation.
Bond: Miss Mary, we’ll need drinks for this meeting – it’s going to be a long one. I’ll have a martini, shaken not stirred.
Mary: Excellent and may I suggest there has been a surprise delivery of Frobscottle this evening. Not sure what it’s like…
Queen: Yes, Yes, whatever. Sophie and BFG hug and bounce delightedly in anticipation… Mary brings in tall bottles of Frobscottle and pours each a drink
SS1: I’ll be in charge of love hearts.
SS2: I’ll organise the bomb casings.
SS3: I’ll synchronise our watches
Bond: Very good men. Here’s cheers to a successful mission! Glasses are raised, Frobscottel consumed and whizzpopping begins in earnest!!
SS3: 10, 9, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Whole class moves forward singing and dancing. Students who have not yet been involved are those who throw the love bombs! Geronimo love bombs made and secreted in pockets to be thrown on to audience
MUSIC: Geronimo
Grand Finale:
Belle: The Queen was right. It’s time to stand up and make a difference. I’ll do things differently too. I’ll reach out.
Dahl: Yes, to be happy in your own skin, you need to know that YOU can make changes and stand up for yourself.
Belle: Yeh I get it – but where do I start? Scratches head and thinks… Dahl: Just do it – just START! Other people are waiting – just like you.
BFG: If you is believing in yourself – it will shine through and others is seeing it too. Then other childers is wanting to have fun and drink Frobscottle with you!
ALL BELLES: stepping forward with arms up in air in V shape as they say their line - and as each girl steps forward they link hands to the girl before them I could be brave. I could go up to someone new. I could be strong and adventurous. I could take a risk. I could reach out to others…
Song: Reach out and touch somebody's hand Each of the Belle’s step forward and take somebody’s hand in audience