ACTING ANTHOLOGY LEVEL ONE - SOLO 33 Cider with Rosie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Laurie Lee, known to his friends as LOLL, is sitting in school The land of Narnia is under the spell of the wicked WHITE waiting for the arrival of the new Headmistress, Miss Wardle. WITCH. Four children from London (Peter, Edmund, Lucy and As she enters, he sniffs and is immediately told to go outside Susan) find a gateway into Narnia, and they are soon caught and give his nose a good blow. up in a deadly struggle between good and evil, according to the mysterious laws of the land. Asian, the lion, represents good in LOLL: (Loll sniffs... he leaves the classroom area and sits on Narnia and he is all that stands in the way of The White Witch's the very edge of the stage.) Of course I don't really belong plan to plunge Narnia into an eternal winter. to that lot at all. I'm summat different to them. I'm a - I'm a - young king. Yes! Placed secretly here in order to mix with the THE WHITE WITCH: Come on, faster! Maugrim will soon bring commoners. (He sniffs.) There is clearly a mystery about my us news. Four thrones at Cair Parivel. Mmm, but if only birth. One day the secret will be told. One day, they'll see, a three were occupied the prophecy would not be fulfilled. He gold coach with footmen in uniform will turn up suddenly, just may not stay for long, and then we could attack the three at like that! outside our kitchen door, and our Mother will cry the castle. Much better to kill him now! I would have liked and they'll stand very solemn and respectful to our Marge to have done it at the Stone Table itself. That is the proper and Doth and Phyll and Jack and Tone, and then I shall drive place. That is where it has always been done before. off to my palace. I shall eat bacon and eggs off my throne. Course I shall be generous. I won't throw my brothers in a (Maugrim enters at speed and informs the White Witch that dungeon. No. Instead I shall give them a banquet of cakes Peter has killed his best lieutenant.) and jellies and - things! And all my sisters, our Marge, our A wolf killed! Killed by a son of Adam! Then summon all our Doth, our Phyll, they shall have princes and they shall live in people to meet me here as speedily as they can. Call out a palace in... (His imagination runs out here.) Where shall it the Giants, the Werewolves, the Spirits of all those trees be? Ah yes. Stroud! ... that are on our side. Call out the Ghouls, the Boggles, the (The children in the classroom rise swiftly and start singing Ogres, the Trolls and the Minotaurs. Call out the Cruels, the the National Anthem, conducted by Miss Wardley. Wickeds, the Hags, the Spectres and all the people of the CHORUS: (Singing) God save our gracious King... ) Poisonous Toadstools. We will fight and we will win. Have I not still my magic wand? Can we not turn their miserable ... And when I am King, Miss Wardley shall curtsy! army to stone? When we are assembled, we will all march on the Stone Table. by Laurie Lee, adapted by James Roose-Evans Now, let us get on with this lesser matter. Prepare the vermin.

(Asian enters.)

You have a traitor there, Asian. Have you forgotten the deep magic - what is written in letters as deep as a spearhead is long on the Stone Table that stands there, beside us?