1. The theme for this script is friendship, and the notion that loyalty bears out. 2. ACT I 1 Scene 1: Village 1 Villagers enter. Song: The Greatest Day of Our Lives (By Company) Villagers and Main Characters exit, but children chorus go to sit at the front so they can join in and encourage the audience response for Buttons’ monologue. There is a flash and Fairy appears. FAIRY Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls. Welcome to our panto world. We’re glad to see you here tonight. And promise that for your delight, a story here will soon unfold... with love and laughter to behold. This village is where it all begins, the villagers have met and had a sing. Oh, I hope you don’t mind that I speak in rhyme, this is what happens, you see, in a pantomime. Ah, here comes Buttons to say hello, he’s a friendly, sweet, if awkward, fellow. The poor bloke’s in love with Cinderella, you’d think he’d have the gall to tell her! Best be off in a puff of smoke, quick time. I’m not supposed to exist until Act 1 Scene 9! Fairy waves her wand and disappears into a cloud of smoke. Buttons enters holding a bunch of flowers and waves at the audience. BUTTONS Hello everyone! Hello boys and girls! My name is Buttons. B U T T O N S. What’s my name? (pause for audience to respond) Erm? Hello? Is there anybody there? Let’s try that again, shall we? I said, what’s my name? (pause for audience to respond) CHILDREN’S CHORUS BUTTONS! BUTTONS That’s better! Blimey, I thought they hadn’t opened the doors yet! Yes, that’s right. Buttons is my name. Please don’t bite me though, I’m not a Cadbury’s chocolate. Now you might laugh, but we did this show last year and I’ve still got the stitches to prove it! Right, now we’ve got that out of the way, I suppose I (MORE) (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 3. BUTTONS (cont’d) should explain why I’m here. And why I’m holding these. (Gestures to flowers) You see, these are for our leading lady. Her name is... (Gestures to the audience) CHILDREN’S CHORUS CINDERELLA! BUTTONS Yes, Cinderella. That’s right! She’s my best friend in all the land. She’s had such a hard life. Her mother died when she was only small. (Gestures to audience for an ’aww’) CHILDREN’S CHORUS Aww. No it’s much sadder than that! (Gestures to audience for a bigger ’aww’) CHILDREN’S CHORUS Aww! BUTTONS Alright, alright! It’s not that sad! Now she lives with her dad and her horrible stepmother, the Baroness, and nasty stepsisters, Bonjela and Tixylix, on the house on that hill. Now, you know what to do when you see them don’t you? (Gestures to audience to Boo) CHILDREN’S CHORUS Boo! BUTTONS That’s the ticket! They force her to make all the beds and wash all the dishes! Yuck! You’ll watch out for them won’t you? (Gestures to audience for a ’yes’) CHILDREN’S CHORUS Yes! BUTTONS Great. Now where was I? Ah yes, Cinderella! (Ugly Stepsisters and Baroness peek out from curtains and audience will boo) CHILDREN’S CHORUS Boo! (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 4. BUTTONS How dare you! Don’t boo at my lovely Cinderella! What has she ever done to you? Anyway, where was I... Ah that’s right! Cinderella! (Ugly Stepsisters and Baroness peek out from curtains and audience will boo for second time) CHILDREN’S CHORUS Boo! BUTTONS Hey, I said only boo when you see those dreadful beasts, Bonjela and Tixylix! Bonjela and Tixylix sneak up behind Buttons. CHILDREN’S CHORUS They’re behind you! Buttons turns around as the Ugly Sisters stay behind Buttons so it appears there is no one there. He turns back to the audience and shrugs. As he does this, Bonjela snatches the flowers out of his hand and the sisters run off, leaving Buttons with one single, wilted flower. BUTTONS Oh no! They were for Cinderella! I told you those two were horrid. Why didn’t you warn me they were there? Oh she would have loved those flowers. She is such a beautiful girl. Shall I let you into a secret? I think I might love her. Do you think I should tell her? Cinderella enters. CINDERELLA Buttons! There you are! What did you want to tell me? BUTTONS Oh, no, no. Nothing important. CINDERELLA And who on earth are you talking to? (Cinderella looks out to the audience) Oh hello boys and girls! Do you think Buttons should tell me? (Gesture for audience to agree) CHILDREN’S CHORUS Yes! BUTTONS Oh, okay then... (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 5. CINDERELLA Well... BUTTONS You see, you know how we have been friends for all of these years? CINDERELLA Yes... BUTTONS And we get on so well... CINDERELLA Yes? BUTTONS Well would you...? CINDERELLA Would I what? BUTTONS Would you like me to help you finish your chores? CINDERELLA Oh Buttons, you do have some funny ways of enjoying yourself! (Buttons looks sorry for himself.) But I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re such a sweetie. (She leans in and kisses him on the cheek. His face lights up.) In fact, I think you’re the best friend I’ve ever had! BUTTONS That’s me all over. (To audience.) Always stuck in the friend zone! (To Cinderella) You know my motto? CINDERELLA What’s that? BUTTONS A friend in need is a friend indeed! Song: You’ve Got a Friend in Me (Duet by Buttons and Cinderella) CINDERELLA Well, come on then.You can help me iron the walls to begin with. (Buttons gives Cinderella a confused look) (MORE) (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 6. CINDERELLA (cont’d) Don’t ask! Buttons and Cinderella Exit 2 Scene 2: Cinderella’s House (Outside) 2 Baroness stands at the gates with arms folded next to the Baron. She gestures to her wrist as if to say ’she’s late’. BARONESS Where is that repulsive daughter of yours? BARON Pardon, Candida, my little song thrush? BARONESS I said, I hope dear Cinderella has done all her chores. BARON Have Bonjela and Tixylix done theirs? BARONESS Don’t be so ridiculous! They’ve been for manicures this morning. You paid for them! Do want to throw all of your money away? BARON I did? BARONESS Oh, I suppose you expect MY children to go without. You only care about Cinderella. My poor, poor girls. BARON No dear, that’s not... BARONESS I don’t know why we live here! My poor, innocent babies are nothing to you. They may as well live in the cellar. (Baroness blows her nose loudly) Is that what you want? BARON But dear, they wouldn’t fit. You’ve made Cinderella live in the cellar... BARONESS You see! You don’t care! Wahhhhhh! BARON No, no! Oh my dear Candida! I am so sorry! I love all of our children dearly. Please don’t fret! (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 7. Cinderella and Buttons enter. Cinderella! CINDERELLA Yes father? BARON Please make sure you finish your chores this afternoon. It’s deeply upsetting your stepmother. CINDERELLA Yes father. BARON Thank you, darling. BARONESS Oh, and Cinderella? CINDERELLA Yes, Stepmother? BARONESS Be a dear and do the girls’ rooms too, won’t you? (Staring at Baron) They’ve had such a rough morning! CINDERELLA But father! BARONESS Cinderella! Baron waves his hands as if to say he has no power over the situation. CINDERELLA I’d best get on then... BUTTONS You mean I’d best get on then! Cinderella exits and Buttons goes to follow her. BARONESS Oh Bottoms! He returns to speak to Baroness. BUTTONS It’s Buttons. BARONESS Whatever. How did it go at the salon this morning? Did my girls manage to get everything they needed to look beautiful? (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 8. BUTTONS I don’t believe they do face transplants there, no. BARONESS Excuse me? BUTTONS Or personality transplants, come to that... BARONESS What did you say!? BUTTONS Nothing, Candida. Oh, look here they come now! The Ugly Sisters enter. TIXYLIX Hello mother! BONJELA Hello stepfather! TIXYLIX Hello Buttocks! BUTTONS It’s Buttons! BONJELA AND TIXYLIX Whatever. BONJELA Where is our dear sister? BUTTONS She’s off doing all of your work for you. TIXYLIX Oh she is a dove. BONJELA (to Tixylix) More like an Ugly Duckling! Baroness laughs. The girls turn around and smile sweetly at Baron, who remains oblivious. BUTTONS Her the Ugly Duckling? You’re so ugly, you look like something I drew with my left hand! TIXYLIX What did you...? Buttons runs towards the house. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 9. BUTTONS Must dash! Chores to do, people to offend! Buttons exits. CINDERELLA(OFFSTAGE) Dinner’s ready! Baron and Baroness exit. BONJELA That little brute! She knows we’re on a diet. TIXYLIX She’s trying to fatten us up so she can get all the fellas! BONJELA Pah! As if ANYONE would go for HER, when they could have ALL of this right here! (Gestures at her body and good looks) TIXYLIX Or this over here! (Gestures at her own body) BONJELA You can have too much of a good thing, Tixy, dear. TIXYLIX Hmmph! The two continue to one-up each other and flutter their eyelashes while barging each other out of the way. Suddenly they look up and notice the audience. BONJELA Agggh! They try to maintain their dignity as they pose.