Play adapted from
The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson
Play adapted from The Gruffalo
Characters: Narrator Mouse Fox Owl Snake Gruffalo
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Act 1 Background sound: original soundtrack from the animated short film The Gruffalo, music by René Aubry. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VySen7s6lxU Narrator (voice-over, music falling silent) A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good. Lights on the stage, the music goes off. Backgroud sound of birds singing while characters appear on stage. The mouse, a bit absent-minded, is looking for nuts on the ground. Then a fox appears. Fox (he moves around the mouse slowly. The mouse is afraid of the fox) Where are you going to, little brown mouse? Come and have lunch in my underground house. Mouse (very scared, but he thinks fast) Thanks a lot, fox, but no… I’m going to… have… lunch… with, with a…. gruffalo. Fox (surprised) A gruffalo!!! What’s a gruffalo???? Mouse (still scared but more sure of himself) A gruffalo is an… animal with… with terrible claws and…. and terrible teeth…. Fox (surprised) And you… are… meeting him???? Mouse (sure of himself) Yes, by these rocks. An his favourite food is… roasted fox! Fox (scared) Roasted fox??? I’m off! Goodbye, little mouse. (The fox runs away)
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Mouse (smiling very proud and happy) Silly old fox! Doesn’t he know? There’s not such a thing as a gruffalo! Lights off, now comes the soundtrack of The Gruffalo short film.
Act 2 Lights on again. Music goes off little by little. Narrator (voice-over. On stage comes the mouse looking for nuts on the ground) On went the mouse through the deep dark wood. An owl saw the mouse and the mouse looked good. Owl (comes on stage walking fast, moving his arms; he stops by the mouse) Where are you going to, little brown mouse? Come and have tea in my treetop house (pointing to a tree) Mouse (scared ) It’s very nice of you, owl…….. but no… I’m going to… have… tea with a gruffalo! Owl (very surprised) A gruffalo? What’s a gruffalo? Mouse Why…. You didn’t know??? (with mysterious tone of voice) He is a very big animal… with a poisonous wart at the end of his nose! (pointing to his nose) Owl (very scared.) Where are you meeting him? Mouse Here, by the river. And his favourite food… is owl ice cream! Owl Owl ice cream!!!… tooooowhoooo!!! Goodbye, little mouse!! (he runs away moving his wings) Mouse (happy and proud) Silly old owl!! There’s no such a thing as a gruffalo! Lights off, music from The Gruffalo. 4
Act 3 Lights on again. Music goes off little by little. Narrator (voice-over) On went the mouse through the deep dark wood. A snake saw the mouse and the mouse looked good! Snake (with a fast movement he comes out from behind a pile of logs and surprises the mouse.) Where are you going to, little brown mouse? Come for a party in my logpile house!! Mouse (very sure of himself) Thanks a lot, you are so good!!!! But… no! I’m having a… feast with a gruffalo! Snake A gruffalo? What’s a gruffalo? Mouse (making big gestures while it speaks.) A guffalo is a monster…. With orange eyes …. And a black tongue. Snake (surprised) And… where are you meeting him? Mouse Here, by this lake. And his favourite food is scrambled snake. Snake Sssss….crambled sssssnake!!! Gooodbye, little mouse! It’s time I hid! Mouse Silly old snake! Everybody knows there’s no such a thing as a gruffalo! Lights off, music from The Gruffalo.
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Act 4 Lights on again. Music goes off little by little. The mouse walks happily in the wood and then he mets the gruffalo. Mouse (very surprised) Ooooh! But who is this creature with terrible claws! His eyes are orange, his tongue is black. And in his nose he has a poisonous wart! Oh help! It’s a gruffalo! (screaming) Gruffalo Huuuuum, a mouse. My favourite food! It’s so good! Mouse (thinks fast and answers) Don’t call me good! I’m… very bad! Follow me and you’ll see! In this wood everybody is afraid of me! The gruffalo and the mouse start walking. First the mouse and the gruffalo behind. While they walk and meet the other animals the audience listen to the original soundtrack from The Gruffalo. After a few seconds the snake appears from behind the logs. He sees the mouse and the gruffalo and runs away. They continue walking, then the owl appears flapping his wings. Suddenly he sees the mouse and the gruffalo and flies away. They continue walking, then the fox appears. He stops, watches the mouse and the gruffalo and runs away. Mouse Well, gruffalo,.. You see? Everyone is afraid of me! Now… I’m very hungry… (the mouse rubs his tummy)… and I’m goinng to eat… a gruffalo sandwich!! Gruffalo A gruffalo sandwich??? (The gruffalo runs away) 6
(The mouse laughs. He sits down, he takes a nut and starts eating it happily) Everybody sings ‘The Gruffalo’ song. www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZfEIX2lhlI
The End
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