the forest
ENSEMBLE are in their randomly dotted tree positions, like Scene Two, except they are all SR. DUCK is CS in a 'river'. HANSEL and GRETEL enter SR.

NARR. 1: In the woods
NARR. 2: Still.
NARR. 1: Hansel and Gretel were running home from the evil old witch's house, where, on a search for food, they had found a huge chest full of gold and silver and jewels.
NARR. 2: Conveniently.
NARR. 1: But, because they didn't have their breadcrumb trail, they were still very lost.
NARR. 2: Eventually, they came to a river.

HANSEL and GRETEL stop CS.

GRETEL: Oh look, a duck.
HANSEL: I wonder if he knows the way home?

NARR. 1: And so they asked the duck to take them home.
HANSEL: Please, Mr Duck, could you take us home?

DUCK quacks.

GRETEL: I think that means yes...
NARR. 2: And so they climbed on the duck's back.

HANSEL and GRETEL stand behind DUCK, and they start walking SL. As they do so, the trees SR shuffle offstage and FATHER shuffles on SL.

NARR. 1: Luckily, the duck knew the way home-
NARR. 2: And so Hansel and Gretel were home in no time.

DUCK exits SR.

HANSEL & GRETEL: Father! 
FATHER: My children!

They run CS and embrace.

HANSEL: Where's our stepmother?
FATHER: Oh, I dealt with her.
GRETEL: Father, look what we found!

They show him the jewels.

FATHER: Incredible!
NARR. 1: And so they lived happily ever after, too.
NARR. 2: I think everyone does. Except maybe the duck.
NARR. 1: Yeah, I don't know what happened to him...
EVERYONE: The End.

Exeunt omnes.

RATE THIS CHAPTER!

Author guidance for This story

This is another very flexible play, as far as concerns numbers. Again, almost all characters can double up, although it was written for a large cast of around 30, and due to the large amount of physical theatre, the bigger the ensemble, the better! Very few props are needed, and no scenery at all. It should last around 20 minutes. This is the second in a series of three fairytale-based short plays.


Characters:
Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Little Red Riding Hood
Wolf
Hansel
Gretel
Witch
Grandma
Mother
Father
Duck
Ensemble

Read the first in the trilogy - Snow White and the Seven Dwarves! http://www.protagonize.com/story/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarves

updated Jul 7 '11 by Westrina