Aladdin Pantomime Script

Aladdin Script Draft May 2016

CHARACTERS

Aladdin Poor boy who lives in old Beijing

Widow Twankey Aladdin’s mother & owner of Mun Chin Takeaway

Wishee Washee Aladdin’s brother and village idiot

Fu fu The Twankeys’ pet Panda

Emporer Sing Lo Emporer of all of China

Princess Jasmine The Emporer’s Daughter

So Shy Princess Jasmine’s anxious maid

Hong Comedy police inspector

Kong Comedy police sargent

Abanaza Evil Sorcerer

Genie Gang Nam Genie of the lamp

Su Shi Spirit of the ring

Mummy Abanaza’s mother

Chorus of Residents of Beijing, Servants at the Palace, Cave Dwellers & Ancient Egyptian Dancers

As always in Pantomime, genders are ambiguous and this is no exception. Particularly Aladdin, Hong, Kong, Wishee-Washee, Fu-fu, Emporer Sing Lo (or Sing Hi if female), Genie Gang Nam and Su Shi could be played by eitherReading a male or female but the gender of theirCopy character must remain the same.

ACT I

Prologue Old Beijing

Scene 1 Old Beijing

Scene 2 A Corridor Inside the Palace

Scene 3 The Gardens of the Palace of Beijing

Scene 4 An Alleyway in Beijing

Scene 5 Twankey’s Mun Chin Takeaway

Scene 6 A Mountain Path

Scene 7 The Magic Cave

ACT II

Scene 8 The garden of the palace of Beijing

Scene 9 The Royal Jail Cell & Magic Carpet Ride

Scene 10 The Valley of the Kings

Scene 11 On The Way Home

Scene 12 Old Beijing

Scene 13 The Community Song ReadingScene 14 The Palace of CopyBeijing

ACT I

Prologue Old Beijing

(Enter Su Shi and Gang Nam)

Su Shi Hello there boys and girls.

Gang Nam Welcome to our tale

Su Shi We hope you all enjoy yourselves

Gang Nam And help the bad guys fail!

Su Shi Now, enough of the Rhyme. We should introduce ourselves.

Gang Nam I am Genie Gang Nam, the genie of the magical lamp.

Su Shi And I am Su Shi, the spirit of the ring.

Gang Nam We’re are best friends and we hope you'll be our friends too.

Su Shi Will you join our gang boys and girls? (Audience response) I said, will you join our gang boys and girls? (Audience response) excellent, I'm glad you said yes. Now we can have all sorts of adventures together!

Abanaza (Enters behind the audience if possible) Boo! Ha, caught you there didn’t I? I am Abanaza the terrifyingly powerful evil genius here to make your life dramatic and occasionally comical for the next few hours. Welcome to ancient Beijing where our story takes place. Awful isn’t isn’t it? No, you’re right sir. It’s not as disgusting as local place name.

Su Shi Ugh, look what the cat chucked up. Gang Nam It'sReading our old pal ‘have a bananna’. Copy Abanaza (bruised) It’s Abanaza you imbecile.

Gang Nam Yeah, you’re nothing but a jumped-up Egyptian pharaoh who's lost all his power.

Su Shi You don’t frighten us!

Abanaza Oh yes I do.

Su Shi & Gang Name Oh boy you don’t!

Abanaza Oh yes I do!

Su Shi & Gang Nam Oh no your don’t

Abanaza Do, do do.

Su Shi & Gang Nam Don’t, don’t don’t

Abanaza Boo!

(Gang Nam squeals and quivers)

(Laughs) You’re no match for me! (Aside) I can’t wait til they’re under my control. It won’t be long ‘til I discover the location of the magic objects they live within and then they’ll be mine forever!

Su Shi Is he talking to the audience again?

Gang Nam How strange.

Su Shi Very odd!

Gang Nam This isn't a Pantomime you know!

Su Shi You can say that again!

Abanaza I don’t have time to stand around here listening to you two morons. No doubt we’ll meet again soon when I am bound to kick your humongous backsides from here to the end of the Great Wall of China! (Aside) As for you lot, I'd rest your voices for now if I were you, I've still plenty of tricks up my sleeve!

Su Shi Don’t worry gang, we don't like him either! Gang Nam WhatReading a fun-spoiler! Copy Abanaza I’ve had enough of your shrivelling cheerfulness and good will. Anyone would think it’s Christmas. I think you ought to take a little thinking time, you know separately. Split up. Alone! That way you can’t interrupt my evil plans. Try this on for size.

(He raises his arms to cast a magic spell)

Spirits of darkness and Kings of the past Take these two idiots and toss them apart Throw them quite far, as away as can be

Then ensure they never see one another, or for that matter me.

(Su Shi and Gang Nam are twisted apart and exit from opposite sides of the stage)

(Aside) That should just about do it for now. I’m the baddie by the way if you hadn't noticed. Thanks for the boos. Keep it up, there’s plenty more where that came from! Let’s start the show.

(They exit)

Reading Copy

Scene 1 Old Beijing

Song- Opening Number (Bright and Cheerful)

(Wishee Washee runs on if he isn't already on stage from the opening number)

Chorus 1 Girls, look it’s Wishee Washee!

Chorus 2 He’s so dreamy!

Chorus 3 He’s so funny!

Chorus 4 Can I reach out and touch him?

Chorus 1 No! He’s mine!

Wishee Please girls, there's enough of me for all of you!

Chorus 2 Oh Wishee you’re so fine.

Chorus 3 You’re so fine you blow our minds

Chorus 4 Hey Wishee

All Hey Wishee!

Twankey (From offstage) Oi, Wishee!

Wishee Ah, that doesn't sound good.

(Enter Widow Twankey)

Twankey Wishee I’ve had it up to here with you, I was half way through making some of my special, special fried rice, I turn around to ask you for my secret family ingredient and you've gone. When are you going to learn, you need to respect yourReading mother. Copy Wishee You're right Mum.

Twankey Sorry.

Wishee You’re right Mum. I should respect my elders.

Twankey Cheeky boy (Slaps him with a spatula), (Aside) Always has been.

Chorus 1 Why did you do that to our beloved Wishee?

Twankey I’m his mother, I’m allowed to.

Chorus 2 Not in this day and age you’re not.

Twankey Oh yes you are, this is ancient China! I can do wok I want with who I want.

(Enter Fu Fu, she indicates to Twankey the audience)

I do apologise ladies and gentleman, how rude of me not to introduce myself ! Do you know, I’ve forgotten every night this week so far. Anyone would think it’s in the script. My name’s widow Twankey and I am the proud owner of the Mun Chin takeway just down the road here in old Beijing. I’m very poor (Audience reaction) I said I’m very poor (Audience Reaction) Not that poor!

(Fu Fu puts her paw on Twankey’s bust)

Not that paw either you dirty animal! This, boys and girls, is Fu Fu our pet panda and all-round adorable pet. Say hi Fu Fu.

(Fu Fu waves)

There, now what was I saying? Ah yes, poor, I’m very poor. It hasn‘t always been this way though folks. I’ve married into money several times, oh yes in fact I’ve had nine husbands. Not all at once you understand. But nine husbands altogether; four richer four poorer and a fling with a rather famous television personality. He was a real stunner and great at D.I.Y, perfect husband material. Bob he was called, Bob the Builder. I was dating him in the early noughties, Wendy never really had a look in once I was on the scene. We had a massive argument once and totally fell apart, I said to him ‘can we fix it?’ he said ‘yes we can!’. Finally though it all came down to this house he built me to live in, he had only finished the foundations when he left me for a younger model, I nearly went after him but decided it was probably set in stone. That’s when I met my last husband and true love, his name was Hankey; Hankey Panky, tall and lanky, thin-as-a-planky, often cranky Twankey.Reading Sadly he died of food poisoning, theCopy authorities said his prawn cocktail wasn’t cooked properly and that was just for starters. He did give me my two bundles of joy though and they’ve kept me busy. Wishee Washee, my eldest and Aladdin my youngest son. So gents, I’m single and ready to mingle. Who wants a bit of hanky panky with Twankey?

Song- Hankey Pankey with Widow Twankey- Suggest Taylor Swift ‘Shake it Off’ or similar

So here I am, Widow Twankey all on my own waiting for a rich gentleman to sweep me off my feet and into luxurious retirement.

(Enter Emperor Sing-Lo accompanied by 2 attending guards to Oriental motif)

Chorus 3 Look tidy it’s the emperor!

Guard 1 Make way, make way the Emperor doesn’t have all day!

Guard 2 Move out the way and don’t touch the emperor he’s just had his bath!

Sing-Lo Ladies and Gentleman, if we could have some privacy please, Mrs Twankey and I have some things to discuss.

(The chorus move in closer, the Emperor ignores them)

As you know for some time now our government has had to make efficiency savings; (insert joke about current political climate) and as it states in the ancient Chinese scroll of Pan-to-mim, at this point in the show I’ve come to tell you that if you don’t pay your rent I’m going to have to kick you out.

Twankey Oh boys and girls, what am I going to do? The Mun Chin hasn’t turned a profit for months!

Sing-Lo Your takeaway makes no money!

Twankey (Aside) No, but we do make a mean sweet and sour chicken.

Wishee If you don’t leave us alone, I'll chop sui your little beansprout into oblivion.

Sing-Lo Perhaps one of your dirty sons could come and work for me at the palace and earn a measly wage cleaning the palace toilets.

Twankey Be my guest, which one do you want? Have them both for all I care! As we’ve just established, they're no use to me! Sing-Lo Charming.Reading Copy Wishee Well there’s motherly love for you ladies and gentleman.

Twankey I’m afraid you can’t have Wishee, he’s my only chance of a grandchildren!

(Enter Aladdin)

Wishee But that just leaves Aladdin.

Aladdin Hi kids! I wonder what I’ve done now.

Twankey Nothing Aladdin (takes him to one side) look, I’ve been thinking and I think it's time for you to move out of the family home.

Aladdin Well that conversation escalated quickly. Have I done something wrong?

Twankey No, no I just can't afford to keep you. Plus you've been offered a wonderful job at the Palace with a huge pile of responsibilities.

Aladdin Wow! Perhaps I’ll be able to meet Princess Jasmine.

Twankey Meet the princess, you'll be lucky if you even catch a glimpse, they say she is so beautiful the Emperor makes her wear a veil over her face so that no one can look at her.

Aladdin I know, she's the girl of my dreams Mum!

Twankey How do you know that if she wears a veil over her face?

Aladdin I just do.

Twankey Well, don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched. It’s what’s on the inside that counts Aladdin, remember that.

Sing-Lo So boy, are you ready to join the slaves… I mean staff at the Palace.

Aladdin Count me in (puts hand out to shake).

Sing-Lo Royals don't shake hands boy. Not with poor people.

Twankey Just give him a final few minutes with me to say goodbye.

Sing-Lo Very well. Come on boys (He claps twice to indicate his guards should follow. They exit) Twankey ItReading looks like this is it Aladdin! 18 years and nowCopy your out and about in the big wide world.

Aladdin (Goes to hug Twankey) Oh Mum.

Twankey Get off me!

Aladdin I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me Mum. You've put a roof over my head.

(Twankey starts getting upset)

Wishee A leaky one admittedly.

Aladdin You’ve always fed me well.

(Twankey starts to cry)

Wishee Noodles and prawn crackers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Aladdin And you even helped me that time my leg got stuck in the deep fat fryer.

Twankey Shhhh, they’ll have Chinese social services onto me.

Aladdin I’ll miss you Mum.

Twankey I’ll miss you too you scruffy little ragamuffin. Now go and pack your bags.

Wishee I’ll give you a hand Aladdin.

(Both exit)

Twankey You may have to forgive me for being so emotional, as we’ve established I’m quite a lonely soul nowadays! (audience reaction) No, it's sadder than that believe me (Audience reaction), it's been a while since I’ve had a boyfriend so I’m on the look out for a man who takes my fancy. That's right women in the front row, hold onto your husbands, they're sat in what I call the danger zone. Danger of being pulled on stage and twirled into the thrills of a whirl-wind romance and a fully fledged Pantomime marriage, glitter and all. So that means, whenever I come on stage I need a little reminder to calm down. I’m going to shout ‘Hello boys!’ I need you all to shout back “no hankey pankey Twankey” to keep me in check. Shall we give it a go? After three; one, two, three (Audience reaction) I’m not sure that's going to be enough to counteract my hormones. I think we should give it another go; one, two, three (Audience reaction) excellent, much better. I’m in control, for now! (AladdinReading and Wishee enter with a large backpack. Copy It has camping implements hanging off of it)

Aladdin I’m all packed Mum.

Wishee Time to go, you don't want to keep the Emperor waiting.

Twankey Goodbye for now Aladdin. You know you'll always be in our farts! I mean, hearts… hopefully now we’ll be able to pay the rent!

Number, Suggest ‘Money Money Money’ by ABBA or something saying goodbye.