The Classic Fairytales 2: Retold for the Stage

Anja

Introduction

Charles Way has plundered the treasure-hoards of Hans Christian Andersen, the Arabian Nights and the Brothers Grimm. Anyone expecting literal adaptations of classic Fairytales will be disappointed. Instead, this welcome collection comprises three bright, surprising new plays. The titles might be familiar but they take us somewhere else, somewhere unexpected. New lamps for old.

All three are coming-of-age plays. Earlier work like Sleeping Beauty, Red Red Shoes and Beauty and the Beast featured girls and the choices facing them in traditional, maledominated societies. Here, the common theme is that of boys making their way into society. The tone is comic, although at times, dark.

Hans Christian Andersen dramatizes the innocence of childhood, uncorrupted by materialism. He writes from his own experience and sees the artist as child-like. He identifies with children, recognizing their oppression as something like his own sense of worthlessness. Their redemption takes place at the end of short, misunderstood lives. If Earth cannot appreciate them, Heaven will embrace the poor little girl who sells matches and the girl who could not stop dancing.

Charles Way has described The Tinderbox as ‘an amoral story that lasts two and a half pages’. His re-telling of it is like a conversation between himself and Andersen, whose morbid tendencies can pall. While Andersen’s brilliant iconic imagery is sustained, Way’s exuberant humanism casts aside pessimism and self-pity. Andersen’s shadowy figures have given way to real characters with whom we can identify. In The Tinderbox, Jonas experiences seven types of role before emerging triumphantly as the new master. It is an Everyman journey but with a personal destination: orphan, young lover, outlaw, soldier, city gent, monk and finally king. Jonas tries on these different roles like costumes until he learns to master his own destiny.

In The Tinderbox and The Golden Goose respectively, Jonas and Dummling have to contend with the scorn and contempt of their peers. Jonas and Sinbad, the young protagonist from Sinbad – the Untold Tale have to suffer loss before they can achieve their goals. After a series of searching trials, these unlikely heroes make their way from the bottom of the ladder to the top. All overturn the order of things, supplanting greed and self-interest with the promise of a more equal, popular society.

Jonas, like Andersen, is born in poverty but overcomes his lowly origins to become a star. In its familiar middle-European setting, Jonas reminds us of the good soldier Schweyk whose innocent, guileless meanderings illuminate the corruption of his society. This satirical spirit is given theatrical expression in The Tinderbox through its Brechtian undertones – the musical interruptions, the war lament, the jagged stages of a life-journey.

Rooted in Arabic legend, the extraordinary tales of Sinbad the Sailor have been recast here with a sideways glance at She – Rider Haggard’s adventures featuring the quest for eternal youth. Sinbad, a poor, wise-cracking porter, doesn’t believe in the magic of his legendary namesake, Sinbad the Sailor, who is now blind, aged and living off the memories of his earlier exploits. Sinbad the elder is described as an ‘old fool who never stops going on about his ridiculous journeys’ much to the distaste of his feisty daughter, Ittifaq. He enlists Sinbad the Porter to search for the flower that can rescue Baghdad from a sickening curse that has been cast over their city by his nemesis, the sorceress Jan Shah. And so begins the porter’s fabulous journey sailing to Basra and beyond. Young Sinbad, in classic mode, has to face up to his own demons – not to mention a few other terrifying genies and witches – before he can return in triumph to Baghdad.

All three plays draw from classical as well as popular sources. This mixture of high and low art is especially apparent in the third of Way’s collection, The Golden Goose. Taking the storyline and imagery from the Grimms’ Tale, Way has created a fresh moral fable. Grimms’ Dummling is a poor country boy who offers his meagre provisions to a needy old man (the King Fairy in disguise) in the woods. The King Fairy, fallen on hard times, is a descendant of the legendary Oberon and his magical entourage from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Following Shakespeare’s example, Way writes a play where ‘folk and fairy folk lived side by side’ with fortunes intertwined.

In The Golden Goose, the latest Oberon needs to find an earthly king who can restore the fairy world and its values. Dummling is rewarded with a golden goose for selflessly sharing his food. After a series of adventures in which Dummling’s family try to steal the goose and end up at the palace (revealing themselves to be as selfish as the miserly King), Dummling leads a bloodless revolution in which rich and poor intermarry and the moral order of the fairies is once again restored. Like Shakespeare, Way takes us down a startling hall of mirrors as each of the interrelated tales casts its reflection on the other.

When we first meet them, these young lads Jonas, Sinbad and Dummling have no special skills and are likely to go through life unrecognized and unrewarded. Even though they are threatened by apparently unbeatable enemies, they hold on to some basic virtues – honesty, loyalty and a still, quiet dream that can barely speak its name. By the end of their journeys they find love and get their just reward. These plays exert a powerful hold over all of us, especially younger members of our audiences lacking belief in themselves and quietly suffering a bullying world.

Witty theatrical frames, astounding imagery and great inventiveness present wonderful challenges to theatre-makers. These plays demand ingenious design, creative music and dance: total theatre. In performance, the key must be Charles Way’s own theatrical heritage, the ensemble. Whether performed simply and barely, or given the full resources of bigger theatre departments, they will flourish with radically differing treatments.

Charles Way has once again written some beautiful, funny and moving plays. With heart and soul and plenty of laughs, they speak to today’s audiences who might be looking for something more lasting than ‘reality’ soap opera, celebrity values and the latest blockbuster. Dressed up as classic Fairytales these are, in truth, contemporary reality plays.

Tony Graham

Artistic Director, Unicorn Theatre

The Golden Goose

The Golden Goose

The play was commissioned by and first performed at the Library Theatre, Manchester on November 25th, 2006.

CHARACTERS

CAST

Fairy King,

Stephen Finegold

Fairy Queen

Rebecca Hulbert

Christina

Rebecca Smart

King Conrad

William Finkenrath

Boris

Andrew Grose

Birgit

Annie Rowe

Dajona

Eleanor Howell

Dummling

Paul Stocker

Hermit Siebenstein

Stephen Finegold

Humble

Rebecca Smart

Meek (in Act One)

Annie Rowe

Meek

William Finkenrath

White Witch

Rebecca Hulbert

Prince Charles

Andrew Grose

Directed by

Charles Way

Music by

Richard Taylor

Design by

Jamie Varten

Lighting by

Nick Ritchings

Choreography by

Georgina Lamb

The play can be performed by a cast of 8.

ACT ONE

Scene One

Bewitching music from the fairy world. Enter the Fairy King and Queen, Humble and Meek. The Fairy King reads from a large book.

Fairy King

Once upon a time, in old Europe in the days when folk and fairy folk lived side by side, there was a castle and in this castle, lived a King. (He turns the page and the King ‘pops up’ for it is a pop-up book.) There he is … and this king had two daughters, Dajona and Birgit.

(He turns the page and up pop the two daughters.) Dajona was the oldest and she was the saddest person whoever breathed. She was so sad she refused to laugh. She would not laugh, she could not laugh so one day her father sent out a proclamation –

‘The man who makes my daughter laugh will be free to ask for her hand in marriage.’

What? What –?

Fairy Queen

You’ve started at the wrong place.

Fairy King

I have not.

Fairy Queen

That’s Chapter Two.

Fairy King

No, no – this is Chapter One.

Fairy Queen

No, my sweet – it’s Chapter Two.

Fairy King

What?

Fairy Queen

The princess who wouldn’t laugh – Chapter Two. (He looks and realises his mistake and shuts the book snappily. The magical music is repeated.)

Once upon a time, in old Europe

In the days when folk and fairy folk

Lived side by side

There was a poor cottage.

Fairy Queen

Ah … I know it well, husband. We have turned the milk sour there many times this past year.

Fairy King

It is a humble dwelling.

Fairy Queen

As you can see. With rough furniture.

Fairy King

In this poor cottage lived two young men with their mother. Dummling and Boris.

(He turns the page and up they pop.)

It was so very far into the woods that the King’s proclamation, which I didn’t mention earlier, never reached the cottage and it is here that the story begins.

Fairy Queen

At Chapter One. Now all they need, my lord is life.

Together they sprinkle/blow golden dust onto the pop-up scene. Behind them, lights fully rise on the life-size scene.

Christina

Where did all this dust come from?

Dummling

I don’t know, Mother.

Christina

As if I didn’t have enough work to do.

Dummling

It’s all – golden.

Christina

Golden? Don’t talk rubbishsense –dust isn’t golden, not round here.

Dummling

But this is – look – all shiny and golden.

Boris

Do shut up, Dummling.

Dummling

But I’m –

Boris

An utterly stupid person without a sensible thought in his head.

Dummling

That’s not true …

Boris

Yes it is.

Dummling

Is it, Mother?

Christina

Well …

Boris

Exactly.

Christina

We are what we are, Dummling.

Boris

And you are stupid.

Christina

Boris!

Boris

Golden dust we have now.

Dummling

But it is – was.

Boris

Duh.

Christina

Stop it! If you keep on at each other, you shall go without supper – the pairboth.

She turns away and Boris pours a cup of water over his own head.

Boris

What on earth –?

Christina

What now?

Boris

Dummling poured water over my head.

Dummling

I never.

Boris

Well, who did then?

Dummling

You did.

Christina

Oh, Dummling, what kind of fool would pour water over his own head?

Boris

Just ’cos I told you the truth.

Christina

No rain for three months, and here’s you throwing water away as if we had lakes of it to wallow in. Well we don’t. Cleareen it up, now.

Dummling

But I – it was –

Boris

And no supper for you. That’s what you said, Mother.

Christina

I know what I said.

Dummling

Forgive me, Mother. Please don’t be upset.

Christina

Upset? A woman with two lads to feed, and no husband to help me through this dreadful drought. When your father were alive the fields were full of food. Now what do we have? Dry bread and mouldy cheese.

(Boris leans forward to take Dummling’s plate.) You leave his plate alone.

Boris

But you said--

Christina

I know what I said. You are not the master here, Boris.

Boris

One of these days I’m going to leave this hovel and go on a big adventure – a really big one – the size of this – table. And I’m going to meet a princess and marry her – and, and, and have lots to eat. What are you smiling at?

Dummling

I had the very same dream. That one day I would be king.

Boris

No you didn’t.

Dummling

Yes I did.

Boris

You’re lying again, just to be like me.

Dummling

No I’m not.

Boris

There’s no country on earth would ever have a king with a face like yours. I’ve seen better looking cowpats.

Dummling

What, in the mirror?

Christina

Oh Dummling, how could you be so spiteful?

Dummling

Hey?

Boris

Because he’s ugly mother – that’s why. It’s damaged his character.

Dummling

But I’m not ugly – am I?

Christina

Well…

Boris

Exactly. I’ll be the best looking king this country ever had. And a thousand times better than the one we’ve got now.

Christina

Boris!

Boris

Our king can’t even feed his own people.

Christina

It’s hardly his fault it hasn’t rained. I’ll have no more talk against our king – you’ll have us hanged for treason.

Boris

He’d have to hang the whole country – everywhere I go people speak against him.

Christina

Well, I don’t. Poor man.

Boris

We should rise up brother – and cut off their heads.

Christina

Boris! You have no idea what you’re saying.

Boris

And then, Mother – you could choose which of your sons would make the better king. Go on, for fun. For the good of the country – me or Dummling?

Christina

Oh Boris – you know the answer.

Boris

And I’d make a great king an’ all, strong as an ox and free of spots. Unlike you, Dummling.

Dummling

I haven’t got spots. I haven’t.

(Boris laughs and gives him a mirror.)

Where did they come from?

Christina

It doesn’t matter, Dummling.

Dummling

But why doesn’t Boris have spots?

Christina

Because spots don’t choose a handsome face, it’s well known, but of no importance – one day they will just vanish. I promise.

Boris

I’ve heard it said that spots only land on the faces of cowards.

Christina

Now that’s enough. How can you two prattle on so when we are only one meal away from the grave?

Silence.

Dummling

One day Mother, there’ll be food again, and plenty of water, and wine too, and you’ll be happy, we’ll all be happy.

Boris

Oh yes – and one day folk will walk on the moon.

Dummling

Maybe they will, one day.

Christina

Well, I have had as much of your argument-eering as I can stomach. Boris I have a job for you.

Boris (groans)

You know how much I hate jobs – and it’s so hot.

Dummling

I’ll do it, Mother.

Christina

No, Dummling. I don’t want you cutting your hand off – like your father did. It wasn’t easy you know being a one-handed carpenter. Boris – take the axe and go into the woods and chop down a fine oak tree and bring it home upon your shoulders. We will use the wood to make a new door – and a new roof – and some walls. Can you do this?

Boris

Of course I can do it – I can do anything I haven’t got spots.

Christina

Father was such a fine carpenter. You remind me of him Boris – so tallsome and brave. But the house he built with his own hands – hand – will not survive another winter. Take this with you into the woods.

Boris

What is it?

Christina

A little something, to keep you going.

Boris

But Mother – this is a fine