A one-act play aimed at performers aged 7-13 with flexible casting. It has been written in a way that allows for a large ensemble or small cast. It also contains duologues that can be used as stand-alone scenes for class work, festivals, and exams.The author wrote this play with flexibility in mind. As a drama teacher it can be tricky to find the perfect cast size when selecting a play, with this in mind she wanted to create a piece that could be performed by a handful of young actors capable of multi-roleplay or be performed as an ensemble piece of theatre, with a large chorus and a stylistic feel. As a fan of minimalism, the piece was written with physical theatre in mind. Having said that if your budget allows then an elaborate or more naturalistic set would also work.
The ensemble parts are marked with a - and could be delivered as narration by one or more actors, or as a chorus with some lines being delivered in unison, perhaps performed to music with choreographed gestures. The possibilities are endless.
The play explores a modern take on Cinderella, Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, and The Three Bears all intertwined into one story mixing traditional and modern settings.
The play opens with an exploration of Cinderella's life with her sisters, she ends up with the prince but isn't happy. Eventually, she marries the woodcutter, and they have a daughter called Red. Years later Goldilocks runs off to attend a party in the woods against her mother's wishes and she finds herself lost. Desperate, cold, and tired she breaks into the three bears' house. Meanwhile, Red visits her grandmother who also happens to be the fairy godmother, only to come face to face with Mr Wolf who is trying to steal her wand. Goldilocks flees from the bears and arrives at Grandma's house, closely followed by Cinderella, Mr Wolf, the three bears and the police. In the final scene, characters confront their flaws but does anyone really change?
Joanne Watkinson is an author and drama teacher of 25 years and is best known for her Drama Pot collection of books. The latest is The Ultimate Drama Pot Collection - 100 Monologues for Young Performers and her monologues have been published in the LAMDA Anthology Volume 4 and are regularly performed by young performers across the world.
