AAC Pantomime
An AAC pantomime will take place in Aberdeen on November 27th. Dithe Fisher has shared a copy of the script with the network.
Cinderella; the Panto
Parts: (*ed parts would suit Talker users)
Cinderella*
Wicked Stepmother
Sister 1Doris
Sister2 Mabel*
Prince *
Friend
Good fairy*
Host at the ball*
Guests at the ball*
Trumpeter*
Herald
Other roles;
Narrator; sets the scene and does recap of events
The ‘Dad’ in the front row; mimes taking lots of photos (actually taken at the dress rehearsal) these can then be projected on the screen for the narrator to talk through in the recap after each scene.
PowerPoint operator; – the recap photos will be projected at the end of the scene. The words of the (2) songs will be projected
Audience conductor; prompts the audience with visual supports, for example holding up a symbol representing which response they should give
Musician; ideally to play electric piano, alternatively to operate CD player/ supervise switch operated music.
Someone to give out Talkers to members of the audience, and collect them back at the end;
The following vocabulary is on many of the personal Talkers
Oh no its not
Oh go on
That’s not right
Well done!
Look out!
Goodbye
Thank you for your help
What’s your name?
What do you do?
Where do you live?
Who is in your family?
What have you been doing?
colours
Repeated lines on the talkers set up specifically for the audience to use;
YES!
NO!
Oh no its not!
LOOK!
Direction notes; there are streamers, party hats, masks, tiaras, etc under chairs
The back cloth for all scenes is a stone wall
OPENING MUSIC
Scene one
Setting: Kitchen
Characters: Cinderella, ugly sisters, wicked stepmother
Narrator at the side throughout
‘Dad’ in the front row throughout
‘Conductor’ at the other side throughout, prompting
Scene setting music= kitchen theme (?Upstairs Downstairs)
Direction Notes: table with patched gingham cloth, and wooden chairs. Laundry basket with clothes spilling out the top. Cinderella is on her own, surrounded by piles and piles of clothes, with iron and ironing board, looking overwhelmed.
Narrator; Hello everyone. I said hello everyone! Etc. My name is xxxx and I am going to tell you all about our pantomime. Is everyone sitting comfortably? Is everyone ready? Well, once upon a time in a land far far away there was a…. (Cinderella sighs)
Oh, who are you? (To Cinders)
Cinderella: I’m Cinderella. What’s your name?
Narrator, well I’m xxx.
Cinderella; what do you do?
Narrator, I am here to help tell the story today. If you are Cinderella, you must live here. What are you doing today?
Cinderella: work
Narrator; oh dear, how do you feel about that?
Cinderella: I’m not happy
Narrator; no wonder; oops, someone is coming; see you later. (Goes to the edge of the stage)
Enter wicked stepmother looking cross
Stepmother: Cinderella – Who were you talking to? You are supposed to be working! Get the ironing done. Sort out these clothes – look at this dress – the dog ripped Mabel’s dress – get it sewn up! Ever since I married your father, I’ve had to put up with your laziness. Nothing gets done unless I tell you to do it. Get on with it.
Ugly sister 1 Doris: Where are my clean clothes? I need my clean clothes!
(Cinderella: Holds out a huge bra)
Ugly sister 1 Doris: Don’t be so rude, that’s not mine1 (picks up tiny little bra from the heap of clothes) – this is mine!
Cinderella: Oh no it’s not! (backed up by the Dad in the front to say this vigorously enough to cue audience participation)
Ugly sister 1 Doris: Oh yes it is!
All: OH NO ITS NOT (cued by conductor)
Etc
Ugly sister 1 Doris: here’s your t shirt, Mabel (gives her a pink t shirt)
Ugly sister 2 Mabel: That’s not right
Ugly sister 1 Doris: what’s the matter?
Ugly sister 2 Mabel: Pink!
Ugly sister 1 Doris: you’re right, it used to be green; Cinderella, you washed the greens with the reds and they ended up pink! this is all your fault
Cinders: Oh no it’s not! ( backed up by the Dad in the front)
Ugly sister 1 Doris: Oh yes it is
Audience: OH NO ITS NOT! (cued by conductor)
etc
Wicked stepmother: For goodness sake! All of you off you go – get on with your work girl! I want all that washing done by tea time – and I don’t want to hear a sound of complaint from anyone.
Audience: ‘THAT’S NOT RIGHT’ (cued by conductor) boo and hiss
Wicked Step mother: (to audience) and that includes you lot too! You can just save your breath to cool your porridge!
Audience; Boo
Exit stepmother
Narrator: Poor Cinderella. The wicked step mother just won’t listen. She’s been left to do all the work while those awful girls have all the fun. And those sisters are so mean, they are always trying to trick poor Cinderella. They just want her to get a row. She really needs some friends. Hey, do you think you could be her friends?
Audience; YES
Narrator; you know what, you could keep an eye out for those sisters, and if they are going to play a trick, you could shout LOOK!
Do you think you could do that?
What are you going to shout?
Audience; LOOK!
Business with the switch operated washing machine while the scene is being changed to the palace;
Cinderella; Can you help me? (to member of the audience)
Cinderella ; White (points to the pile of washing which is on the other side of the stage )
Cinderella watches the helper go over to collect the white washing. As she is looking over there
enter sister 1 (sneaks to washing machine and puts in a red sock, hee heeing.)
prompt from conductor
Audience; LOOK!
Exit sister 1
(Cinderella looks in the washing machine, surprised,)
Cinderella; Red!
(Takes out the sock)
(Helper loads the white washing in. Cinderella gives the switch to child in the audience to press make the machine work.
Meanwhile in the background, the scene is changing to the palace....)
scene two
Setting: Palace
Characters: Prince Charming, friend
Music: scene setting music= palace theme
Direction Notes: the table is now draped with a cloth (red with swags and tails and cron motif) chairs have posh covers. Prince on his own, looking lonely and bored and thoughtful. Friend waiting to come on at side of stage.
Script:
Narrator: At the same time, in the palace the prince was all on his own. The Prince had no-one to talk to. He was very lonely. Look at our handsome Prince – all the girls think he is gorgeous! What do you think?
Audience – YES (cued by conductor)
Narrator: I wonder – has the prince met a girl he wants to marry?
Prince’s friend enters
Friend ; What are you doing moping around? You should be out looking for a girl to marry. This kingdom needs a princess. It’s getting urgent! I’ve done some searching for you – what about this girl? (shows big picture Ann Robinson? Shows picture to audience too, for reaction )
Prince – No Way!
Friend: or this one?
Repeat for a few famous faces we love to hate, (or would not want to marry!)
Prince responses: No way, I don’t like it, that’s not right.
Friend: Well, what are we going to do?
Prince: I don’t know. I’m sad.
Friend: I know – why don’t we have a great big party. We’ll call it a ball, and invite everyone. We’ll invite every girl in the country. That way you are bound to meet one that you like. To audience: Do you want to come to the party? Is that a good idea?
Audience – YES (cued by conductor)
Friend: It sounds like everyone wants to come – come on Charming – let’s start writing the invitations. (Friend holds up distinctive notepaper e.g. parchment with crown on the back)
Exit Prince and Friend
Business while scene changes back to the kitchen;
Narrator: A party – that sounds like great fun!
(to Dad) Hey you, you have been taking a lot of photos; why, what for, can we have a look?
Dad mimes linking his camera to the laptop, and data projector now displays the sequence of photos of what has happened so far. Narrator gives a running commentary.
By now the scene is the kitchen again
Narrator, well now we’d better get back to the story. So the big party was planned and invitations were posted. Let’s see what happens when the invitations arrive.
scene three
Setting: Kitchen as before. The pile of washing and laundry basket still there but a new basket with boots and shoes and polish has been added
Scene setting music= kitchen theme- Upstairs downstairs
Characters: Wicked step mother, ugly sisters, Cinderella, good fairy
Direction Notes: table and chairs. Wicked step mother and ugly sisters sitting Cinderella doing housework in the background. Door bell goes (switch operated)
Doris: Ooh that might be my ebay parcels!
Mabel: (signs) No – Me (shoves Doris back into chair)
Doris: (points out of window on opposite side) What’s that out there in the street? (Mabel goes to the ‘window’ and looks out, meanwhile Doris runs to the side of the stage which will thereafter be always used as the door.)
(Mabel sits down, looking grumpy)
(Doris comes back on with prominent envelope)
Wicked stepmother: That looks important – it must be for me (snatches and opens envelope) Hmmm. An invitation to a party at the palace. Oh yes, the Prince is having a ball to find a wife.
Mabel: When?
Doris: and who can go?
Wicked step mother: It’s tonight, for all the ladies in the house. The Prince is looking for a girl to marry.
Cinderella: Can I come?
Wicked step mother: ( puts letter on the table) Don’t be ridiculous! He must mean me, Mabel and Doris. The Prince won’t know about you. You’ll stay here and get on with cleaning. Come on girls, we need to look at clothes (they start to leave)
(Cinderella picks up invitation and starts to read, ugly sisters come from behind and are about to pounce to grab it off her – run? and chase around.
Audience: LOOK OUT (cued by conductor)?
Cinderella: It says everyone
Wicked step mother: be quiet you – don’t interfere. You’ve got too much work to do. You can’t come to the party. Come on Girls – let’s start planning what we will wear. One of you must marry the Prince.
And as for you, Cinderella, don’t just sit there; that washing needs doing (Uglies and Wicked sweep out to boos and hisses)
Cinderella picks up the switch for the washing machine. As she leans down, enter Mabel with a big pot labelled ‘GLUE’. Mabel tiptoes towards the pile of washing
Conductor prompts
Audience LOOK!
Cinderella looks round
Exit Mabel
(Cinderella on her own, exhausted by the empty grate)
Cinderella: I’m sad. I’m tired. I’m lonely. I want to go too.
Audience: aww, shame etc
enter good fairy
Good Fairy: Excuse me.
Cinderella: hello. Who are you? What’s your name?
Good fairy: I’m your good fairy. What’s the matter?.
Cinderella: I’m sad. I’m tired. I’m lonely. I want to go to the party. I want to meet the prince.
Good fairy: I’m your good fairy. I can help!
(good fairy waves her wand – lights go out, big sheet to hide cinders and good fairy, magical music, distractions etc)
(Lights come back up- Cinderella is transformed with a tiara and lovely fabric round shoulders)
Cinderella: I love it!
Good fairy: Cinderella, you shall go to the ball!
Audience: Hurray! Yes! Good! WELL DONE
Good fairy; lets sing a song; come on everyone!
Intro= first line of ‘jingle bells’ the words are projected onto the screen;
All; you can go, you can go, you can go tonight
Oh what fun it is to go to the prince’s ball tonight,
OH
You can go, you can go, you can go tonight
Oh what fun it is to go to the prince’s ball tonight!
Good fairy; But you must leave at midnight. Don’t be late; or your dress will disappear!
Cinderella: Thank you! goodbye!
(Cinderella exit)
Narrator: Goodness me! What a day! Lots going on! ( to the Dad) Have you taken any more photos? Lets have a look. ( Repeat slide show with recap narration as before).
Narrator; Now, it’s time for the party. It’s time for everyone to get dressed up. Everyone look under your chair. What can you find? Let’s get ready!
Music; party ?dancing queen?
( audience dress up in hats etc meanwhile, the scene is changed to the palace.
scene four
Setting: Palace, with decorations for a party. Some of the decorations are on the floor.
Characters: Prince Charming, Cinderella, Ugly sisters, wicked step mother. Friend, Host, other guests. All in party outfits
Music: party theme
Direction Notes: Prince charming and friend are by the entrance, ready to greet guests. Party guests are at the side, ready to come on. All in party gear.
Narrator: At last, we’re all at the party. You all look great! Do you like our party?
Audience: YES!, hurray etc.
Host: (to celebrity guest in front row) What’s your name?
Goes round the audience asking them their name etc
Cast guests come on to the stage, prince asks them their name one by one.
Background music cues the first game.
Prince ; lets play
(Guests move into a circle.
One round of pass the parcel with tubs of bubbles in each layer. Switch operated music (volunteer) When the music stops the winner on stage takes a bubble pot out of their parcel and blows bubbles festively. There is also a parcel to go round the audience as well; zigzagging along the rows. When that is empty, the game ends.
Switch operated bubble device. From ASDA?)
The game ends)
Guest; Oh dear, the decorations have fallen down; who can come and help fix it up? (Everyone except the prince and cinders go to the back of the stage and blutak up the bunting or whatever)
Friend (to Prince) come and help with the decorations
Prince; I don’t want to. I want to talk to that girl. She is beautiful.
Prince and Cinders have a conversation;
you look nice.
What’s your name?
what do you do?
where do you live?
who is in your family?
(the clock begins to chime 12. Bigmac recording of a gong?)
Cinderella; oh no! I need to go !
Prince; NO, stop! Can we have a chat?
Cinderella; Goodbye (exits)
prince is distraught; Oh no, I love her I want to marry that girl.
Dad in front row; ‘look, her slipper’
Prince; where etc
Audience; LOOK! etc (cued by conductor)
prince;(finds the slipper) that is no good
friend, no now we can find her; we can find the girl who can fit into this shoe
prince; I am going to come with you!
friend, OK
Narrator; phew, she just got away in time there. Hey,(to Dad) did you get any photos of the party?
Recap as before.
Narrator; Oh look; who is this coming now!?
Scene change;
Meanwhile da da da trumpeter with banner processes up and down, through the audience followed by the Prince, followed by Friend carrying slipper on a cushion and finally the herald.
when they get to the front again herald, Herald makes the proclamation using a step by step;
‘ hear ye hear he; the prince is looking for the girl he met at the ball. Every girl in the kingdom can try this slipper on. Whoever fits this slipper will marry the prince’
Friend offers people in the audience the chance to try the slipper...
Prince, trumpeter and friend wait at the side of the front (as if outside the door) till needed.
scene five
Scene setting music= kitchen theme
characters; prince, trumpeter, friend, ugly sisters, stepmother, cinders, good fairy
the kitchen; chairs and table, fishbox to hand just off stage.
Props;
sisters have got hangovers disgruntled and bossy
smeared makeup
sister 1Doris ;I’m tired, my feet hurt.
Sister 2 Mabel; your hair looks bad
Sister 1; my hair is fine
Sister 2 oh no its not
Sister 2. oh yes it is
Audience oh no its not (cued by conductor)
enter mother (all excited, has heard the proclamation)
Wicked stepmother; quick tidy up, get busy, the prince is coming
your feet might be too big; what will I do; I need to make your feet small so they will fit in that slipper. Will I use this? (produces the bread knife and approaches sister 1)
audience shout NO, (cued by the conductor)
(wicked step mother picks up a pair of garden shears),
audience shout NO, (cued by the conductor)
(wicked stepmother picks up the wood axe)
audience shout NO, (cued by the conductor)
Prince ; AHEM, (Stepmother looks round, sees him. Looks shocked and drops the tools)
(Prince and friend enter the kitchen area, sisters jostle to be first to try the slipper. Both try, without success)
Sister 2 Mabel; I’ve got an idea (sprays WD40)
Friend; It’s no good
Sister 2 Mabel; I’ve got an idea
(she fetches the transparent plastic box with ‘water’ ?
and plastic goldfish; or fish stickers on the side to make it look like the fish pedicure. Doris hoists up her skirts ready to put her foot in the box)
Friend NO, time to go, goodbye.
(Prince looks depressed and disappointed. Slumps at the out point of the kitchen the friend is also about to leave.)
Good fairy; have you really tried everyone??
Friend ; is there anyone else??
(Cinderella modestly working in a corner. Looking longingly at the prince and the slipper)
Audience; LOOK!
Friend looks wrong way, repeat, then sees her
Friend; presents her with the slipper and the prop which lends the sense of occasion ( e.g. gauzy fabric to lay over the floor in front of her)
(cinders tries it on)_
Audience; YES hooray WELL DONE
Prince (turns round); It’s you! I am happy. will you marry me?
Cinderella; YES
Good fairy; well done! Lets sing a song, come on everyone!
Intro = a line of ‘happy birthday to you’
the words are projected on the screen:
All;
Happy Wedding to you, happy wedding to you
Cinderella got her fella
Happy Wedding to you!
( Good fairy makes confetti appear as if by magic; Confetti cannon /Switch operated fan and a helper to distribute confetti?)
Narrator; Lets have a party and lets invite everyone to come and join us; (gesturing to audience) come on, this way, there is cake and drink for everyone
(Tumpeter, herald, Narrator and cast leads an informal procession through to where the refreshments are arranged. This room is decorated with the royal motif, and wedding decorations)
END MUSIC
Aims
get AAC users together, families, a shared project and a party
showcase abilities
have fun
use talkers in a different context
build confidence
raise awareness
media attention
mark the Year Of Speech Language and Communication
sets;
kitchen has a stonewall backcloth, table and chairs, ironing board
palace has a fancy backcloth, draped table, chairs with cushions, and a candelabra
props;
streamers, party hats, masks, tiaras under seats from the outset
Scene I;
piles and piles of clothes, to include a big and little bra, torn dress, with iron and ironing board,boxes, broom, kitchen work, parcels, letters,
Scene 3
Switch operated doorbell transformation outfit
Slippers
Scene 4
pass the parcel; one for the stage (containing a bubble pot, open, for the cast; could be the kind of bubbles that stay for longer?) and one box to pass round the audience with a hole in the lid so you can take a pot of bubbles out
transparent box with fish.
Scene 5
Axe, bread knife, garden shears
some way of indicating that it has started, some way of changing scene/ indicating end of scene.#
some place for people to go when not ‘on’
switch operated doorbell, fan, music, bubbles, confetti
big mac, step by step ( one per job)
4 lphotos of possible candidates for bride; printed out on A3
4 lphotos of hats for party outfits for the sisters ditto
Powerpoint set up with the photos to retell the story , supposedly taken by the Dad on the front row. (take at the rehearsal)
Fascinators _home made with ostrich feathers and tinsel.
Juice, coffee, tea, cake, biscuits, crisps
Have taken out;
Hats discussion
Ebay parcels
One Ugly sister ‘oh yes it is’ session
Need to add ‘oh no its not’
LOOK= 6 examples
YES = 5 examples
Christopher Newell
Posted 19th October 2011 at 7:59 AM