Classic Fairytales (eBook)

Cinderella

Originally commissioned by and first produced at The Library Theatre, Manchester, December 1999.
Directed by Roger Haines.
Designed by Judith Croft.
Music by Richard Chew.

Additional dancers/soldiers/princesses (real or plastic)

Actors may also double roles.

The play is set in a fictional representation of Mannheim, Germany, where Mozart vainly tried to become Court composer in 1777. Mozart’s music should accompany the play.

ACT ONE

SCENE 1

Music. A dance with masks. Lights fade. A heavy tick-tock of a pendulum clock can be heard. A light rises on a figure dressed in ‘ghostly’ white – this is Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.

She carries a cage inside which is a dove.

FAIRY GODMOTHER/COMPANY

Tick tock, tick tock

time slips by,

sometimes it jumps,

sometimes it flies,

sometimes it waits,

as if for ever,

sometimes it stops,

altogether.

(The ticking stops)

Ah – this is one of those times.

(A bell tolls distantly)

A sad time

an in between time,

A time of tears.

Enter Cinderella, she rushes from one side of the stage to another as if trying to get out of a cage. Eventually she rushes into the arms of her father.

FAIRY GODMOTHER/COMPANY

Oh yes, once upon such a time

there was a clockmaker.

(Cinderella pulls away from her father)

And the Clockmaker had a daughter.

They lived in a beautiful town

on the banks of a flowing river

in the shadow of a fine castle.

The bell tolls.

FAIRY GODMOTHER

But all was not well.

The town lay in the grip of a terrible sickness

for which there seemed to be no cure.

The sickness was so bad that many people died.

One of these was the young girl’s Mother.

Cinderella kneels. Exit Father. The lights rise slowly. It becomes morning and the air is full of Birdsong but the grief stricken Cinderella barely notices.

FAIRY GODMOTHER

The child was struck down by grief,

she felt as if her tears would never end

and would flood the world.

The Fairy Godmother takes the white Bird from the cage. The Bird is obviously not real. It’s a beautiful artefact and the Fairy Godmother is its voice. At this stage, the Fairy Godmother is invisible to Cinderella. She takes the Bird to the girl and flies around her head, until it annoys her.

It’s you again. The same bird every day, spying on me, flying around my head, like a – like a wasp. Have you no respect? Go away wasp – go away.

There’s no need to be rude.

Cinderella looks around, startled.

Who’s there? Is there anyone there?

Yes – me.

Where are you? Why do you hide?

I’m not hiding. I’m in full view. Its me – that’s right.

You?

A wasp am I?

Cinderella backs away.

Don’t be frightened. I won’t sting you. I’m a bird.

A talking bird.

Stranger things have happened, and will again, I assure you.

The Bird flies onto her arm.

Close your mouth, and stop staring. It’s rude and makes you look like a fish.

Why haven’t you talked before?

I was waiting, for the right time. I’ve been waiting for the past year. I have something to ask you. May I?

Yes.

I need your help.

How can I help you?

This garden used to be so beautiful. Your Mother was happy here.

My mother?

She and I were good friends.

She used to look after the garden – not like you. Look how bare it is. It’s not a Garden anymore – it’s a graveyard.

(chases the Bird) How dare you talk about my mother. Go away you wicked creature. Go away.

(She cannot catch the Bird and she collapses in tears)

What would you have me do? Bury her in one of those big pits along with everyone else who died of the sickness? No. This was her garden – she belongs here, with me.

Silence.

I understand.

You’re a bird what do you know, about anything?

I know one thing. This garden needs a tree.

A tree? What for?

Its a bird thing. Somewhere for me to sit of course.

Why should I help you?

For your mother. It’s what she wanted. Plant it in her memory – plant it here. It will give us all shade in the summer and shelter in the winter. Please.

The Bird fetches a hazel twig.

What kind of tree will it be?

Hazel.

Next to her mother’s grave, Cinderella plants a twig of hazel.

Close your eyes.

Cinderella closes her eyes. Music. The Fairy Godmother removes the twig and magically a tree replaces it.

You can open your eyes now.

Ah! It’s – it’s so beautiful.

(proudly) Isn’t it just?

But how – who – what –did it?

Oh don’t ask me, I’m a bird. What do I know about anything?

The Bird perches on the tree.

What are you – exactly?

A friend. I think your mother would have liked it.

Yes, yes she would. Will it flower?

Perhaps, one day, if –

If–?

If time moves on. It generally does.

A boy in rags [Prince Sebastian in disguise] has entered.

We have a visitor.

Who are you? What are you doing? Get out.

Get out.

Are you talking to me or the bird?

Go away, Go away.

She chases the boy. He laughs and runs away.

So you want to play?

No. Get out – please.

I didn’t mean to upset you.

Well, you have. Now go – this is a private place –private.

And you were talking to that bird, in private of course.

No I wasn’t.

It looked like it from a distance.

You’ve been spying?

You’ve been lying. Is this your tree?

Yes. Now get out.

This tree wasn’t here yesterday.

You were here yesterday?

And the day before, and the day before that.

Every day I hear crying from the other side of the wall. So today, I climbed the wall and came in. Why do you cry like that?

Leave the tree alone.

Did you plant it?

Yes.

No. This tree is older than you.

Please stop –

You couldn’t have planted this tree.

I did plant it.

When?

Just now.

And … it just grew, just now?

Yes.

I like tall trees – and tall stories too.

I don’t care what you like, or dislike I just want...