Primary Playmaker Showcase 2025

PRIMARY PLAYMAKER

SHOWCASE 2025 TUESDAY 18 MARCH

A HUGE PLAYHOUSE WELCOME! Welcome to Oxford Playhouse for our annual Primary Playmaker showcase.

Set in the heart of the city, it is important to us as a charity to make a positive impact on our Oxford community and further across the county.

We’re thrilled to be joined today by the teachers from our participating schools.

Without their dedication, Primary Playmaker could not have achieved its immense success over the last decade.

It’s our belief that theatre and performance can empower people to develop, learn and connect with one another in unforgettable ways. We’re certain that the variety of work we host on our stage throughout the year conjures this feeling for many, but we strive to enable this off stage too, offering different creative projects for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Each year, we work with a cohort of teachers - many for the first time - who embrace the opportunity of the scheme, and ensure that it is integrated into the regular literacy learning in the classroom. This effort and dedication, supporting with not only its delivery but the organisation of the project behind the scenes, has allowed Oxford Playhouse to successfully engage with hundreds of pupils each year.

For ten years, Primary Playmaker has been the jewel in the crown of this work: unleashing the inspirational creative ideas of hundreds of young minds.

Hearing their anecdotes about the benefits Primary Playmaker has on their pupils demonstrates the impact and importance of the scheme, as well as the crucial part creativity plays in the classroom.

During the COVID-19 pandemic this could not have been more pertinent, as teachers aided our remote delivery of the project. They helped us adapt to a new way of engaging while maintaining their confidence in the project for their pupils.

We hope you enjoy the showcase of work devised by our talented young playwrights.

Mike Tweddle Artistic Director & CEO

It’s a privilege to be united in this mission after ten years of bringing creative opportunities to young people, and we’re so very grateful for the contribution of every one of our schools to the scheme. The successes of the last ten years are just as much yours - thank you!

Paul Simpson Head of Participation & Artist Development

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TEN YEARS OF PRIMARY PLAYMAKER Primary Playmaker came about through a collaboration with Oxford Playhouse and Oxford Playmaker, working together to create new opportunities to support aspiring playwrights across the county.

While John Retallack, co-founder of Oxford Playmaker, worked with aspiring professionals, I set off to encourage primary school children to start creating plays, which the Oxford Playhouse team promised to put on the Main Stage.

The children were not expected to sit down and write. They engaged in ten workshops – learning about drama, acting and the process of rehearsal.

During that time, they would play games, improvise, practise, perform in front of each other and build their confidence as playmakers. What they clearly enjoyed the most was the chance to explore their ideas and develop their own unique plays. It was easy after that to say they should write up a script. They wanted to do that. They wanted to write. And that was always behind the idea too. We write because we want to communicate, and these youngsters needed to tell the actors and director what should happen in their play.

The project grew and grew as more and more schools got involved. The performances at The Playhouse have always been a highlight of the year.

There is nothing better than seeing the sheer joy and excitement of children who have never seen a play before, sat in a theatre watching plays created by their own age group. The plays are all on themes 2

they themselves identify with, with humour that makes them laugh and ideas that reflect their world as they experience it.

After seven years of delivering this wonderful project, I stepped aside, allowing the fantastic Participation Team at The Playhouse to take over entirely, with their own staff adding new ideas to the project. They are doing a brilliant job and I couldn’t be more delighted that Primary Playmaker is still thriving after ten glorious years.

Renata Allen Primary Playmaker (2015-2023)

ABOUT THE SCHEME Primary Playmaker aims to support children’s literacy learning through drama and script writing in the classroom. The scheme gives each child the opportunity to use their creativity and imagination by writing their own script which they will also perform to their peers.

Each session uses drama based games and skills to teach the children how to write their plays.

Everyone who takes part in Primary Playmaker has the opportunity to write a script, supported by a professional theatre maker who leads the series of workshops. They prepare the pupils with important skills that they need to write a script, such as story mountains, a checklist of what to include and drama techniques to bring their work to life.

Instead of being stuck behind a desk writing out their ideas, they are encouraged to get up and perform, working with their classmates to improvise and act their stories out. This allows them to explore creativity, storytelling and writing on their feet whilst using their new skills.

Each year, our cohort of Primary Playmaker pupils devise a script based on a different theme. This year, we have chosen “Journeys”.

Get ready for all sorts of imaginative stories from dragon babysitters and space portals to Amazon adventures and social justice frogs…

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DID YOU KNOW? It’s been an inspiring and eventful decade working with young people all across the county. Here’s ten facts (for ten years) about the programme that you might not know…

PRIMARY PLAYMAKER STARTED IN

WE HAVE VISITED PRIMARY SCHOOLS ACROSS

OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, WE HAVE WORKED WITH A TOTAL OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM OVER 20 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS

THE MOST SCRIPTS SUBMITTED IN ONE YEAR WAS

AND THE PLAYHOUSE TEAM READ EVERY SINGLE ONE!

OXFORDSHIRE POSTCODES ACTORS AND DIRECTORS FROM ACROSS STAGE AND SCREEN BRING TO LIFE THE YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS’ SCRIPTS, AIDED

BY AN IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION TEAM

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IN THE PLAYHOUSE PARTNERED WITH

THE WORKSHOPS ARE LED BY OXFORDSHIRE-BASED ARTISTS WHO WORK ACROSS THE CITY’S ARTS VENUES

SAW PRIMARY PLAYMAKER GO ONLINE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, ENSURING PUPILS COULD STILL ENJOY A PERFORMANCE OF THEIR SCRIPTS

ST JOHN’S COLLEGE, BRINGING OVER

EACH YEAR, SCRIPTS ARE DEVISED AROUND A DIFFERENT THEME. SOME OF OUR FAVOURITES HAVE BEEN: “CELEBRATION”, “SAVE THE PLANET”, AND “FRIENDS”

PRIMARY PLAYMAKER SCHOOL CHILDREN TO AN EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE OF FLOELLA BENJAMIN’S COMING TO ENGLAND

ST JOHN FISHER CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL HAS BEEN WITH US FOR ALL

!

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PLAYHOUSE WORDSEARCH During your Primary Playmaker workshops, you’ve probably come across some familiar words that relate to the world of theatre and writing plays. However, they all seem to have got a bit jumbled in the wordsearch below. Can you find them?

Q W X O A S Q Y E P K T R U A C T O R Y L P L O T U E Y D A A H G M Y Y C Q D O M K V Y K X X C C R Z E U U J P G H J G G Z P R E K X D R T R M X T X F X W J V Q L G C E Z L G P J P E T F T E F T X I A V V T X K N T K B O I O I W C H O L Z Y T Y S G B A G P I P I R I D G P T S A S D H C R I C M P J D R P C I V Z Y V T Z N C E U S F V Y A V Q E R S E H Y U Y X P X N N T Y O J A O G W T O E U G F G E H E E R N X O D V L Y F X C W R Y W N M F D B J O C H K A A P I W A A D A O P H S U U L Y T V S L S T A G E X R T V D K D X R L J S C P T W V X U G G R A W P V E T F K E A Q E R E H E A R S A L H K X H Z X M B S T O R Y T E L L I N G Z C G A V I F R J F A B I D D B L Q G Z Q Q S I M J C J F H T A V D N Q Y Y D T E D J B K Z Y J K T F X A E L X Q L F N S B K H A U D I E N C E C N K S K M Y P J I Solution on p60.

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1. Actor 2. Character 3. Stage 4. Director 5. Mime 6. Playwright 7. Plot 8. Rehearsal 9. Scene 10. Script 11. Theme 12. Storytelling 13. Audience 14. Playmaker

DEAR YOUNG PLAYWRIGHT...

Over the years, we’ve seen scripts from hundreds of primary schoolchildren. With tales of magical world portals and school discos, to emergency ballet dancers and cat eating aliens, it just goes to show how far the imagination can go.

We would love to continue supporting young playwrights in their creative expression, but we need your help! We would like you to write a letter telling us about your experience and why other children should get involved in Primary Playmaker...

Think about things like: • What have you learnt?

• What did you enjoy?

• What are your top tips for writing a play?

Why not take a photo of your letter and share with our Participation Team: participation@oxfordplayhouse.com 7

PRIMARY PLAYMAKER POSTER Our Marketing Team need a little hand getting the word out about our showcase.

Can you help? In the space, design your own poster for Primary Playmaker, here’s some tips to get you started: • What do you want audiences to know about the showcase?

• What colours will you use?

• How will you grab people’s attention with your design?

Why not take a photo of your poster and share with our Marketing Team: marketing@ oxfordplayhouse.com

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OXFORD PLAYHOUSE

SHOWCASE DIRECTED BY Ben Newman & Lauren Carter PRESENTED BY Alice Jessop & Lucy Findlay PERFORMED BY Daisy Ann Fletcher, Herb Cuanalo, Kate Spencer, Steve Hay CREATIVE TEAM Producer Paul Simpson Assistant Producer Caitlin Kirby Lighting Designer Will Hayman Sound Designer Gus Van Spyk Stage Manager Tang Jackson 10

FACILITATION TEAM Alice Jessop Lucy Findlay Helen Pearson

Ben Newman DIRECTOR Ben trained on Mountview’s MA in Theatre Directing and is the current Resident Director at Oxford Playhouse and Magdalen College School. His upcoming productions include Associate Director on The History of Almost Everything (Oxford Playhouse Plays Out Tour); The Wardrobe (MCS Drama), and Constellations (MCS Drama, BT Studio).

Directing credits include: Henry V (MCS Drama); The Adventures of Robin Hood (MCS Drama); The Burial at Thebes (MCS Drama); Much Ado About Nothing (Off the Ground Tour 2024); Moderation (Greenwich Theatre/Edinburgh Fringe); How To Get To Eudemonia (The Backstage Theatre, Mountview); Love and Information (Studio 1, Mountview); Recipe for a Baby (Theatre Deli, Sheffield); Punk Rock (The Drama Studio, Sheffield), and The Pillowman (The Drama Studio, Sheffield).

Assistant-directing credits include: Sleeping Beauty (Oxford Playhouse, 2024); Once (The Backstage Theatre, Mountview); Othello (Studio 1, Mountview), and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Off the Ground Tour 2022).

Lauren Carter DIRECTOR Lauren initially trained as an actor at the Oxford School of Drama before going on to study theatre directing on the BA Directing course at Drama Centre London. Since graduating, she has presented work at Wilton’s Music Hall, Oxford Playhouse, Arcola Theatre, King’s Head Theatre, Pegasus Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre, Golden Goose Theatre, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She was Resident Director at Oxford Playhouse and Magdalen College School (20232024). During her residency she co-founded Queer Fest - a festival of new work at The Playhouse. As a playwright, her play Face Down in the Dirt was long listed for the BOLD Playwright Award in 2024.

Lauren co-directed last year’s Primary Playmaker project and is incredibly excited to be returning for this year’s showcase.

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PRIMARY PLAYMAKER SCRIPTS DESTINATION FRIENDSHIP

By Tiegan • Abbey Woods Academy A new girl at school is made to feel unwelcome by one of the boys in the class.

We find out the boy is lashing out because his parents are getting divorced.

JOURNEY

By Daria • Bayards Hill Primary School Sisters use a crayon to draw a portal door which takes them back in time to different historical periods to rescue their parents.

TIM THE FROG

By Ismail, Elias & Valentino • Botley School A frog and a unicorn are confronted by a dinosaur, who they end up needing to support because he’s being discriminated against.

THE ADVENTURE IN THE AMAZON

By Oscar, Isabelle & Zack • Millbrook Primary School - Herons Class Two friends are bored, so decide to go on a day trip to the Amazon.

They are looking at sloths, when they find a man stuck in a tree.

GYMNASTICS GONE WRONG

By Darcy & Cleo • Millbrook Primary School – Kingfishers Class Two girls are forced to go to a gymnastics class, so they try to get their own back on their mum by pretending to go missing.

GOING TO AMERICA

By Lincoln • St Barnabas CE Primary School Three children hate school, so decide to go on a trip to America instead.

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2024/25 THE SPACE QUEST ADVENTURE

By Maria • St John Fisher Catholic Primary School A girl must find her way back home after she gets lost in a portal and is taken on an adventure through space.

THE DRAGON FROM MERCURY

By Yoyo • St Michael’s CE Primary School A dragon entrusts two young people to babysit her dragon egg, but they come across challenges that require the dragon mother to keep returning.

ALONE

By Felicity • Thameside Primary School Three friends take a walk in the woods but are confronted by a series of monsters who are stopping them from escaping.

A WILD JOURNEY

By Frankie & Archie • Wheatley CE Primary School A father and daughter go on an adventure together, working their way back home.

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DESTINATION FRIENDSHIP

By Tiegan • Abbey Woods Academy SETTING:

SCENE ONE

Takes place at school. Classroom, playground.

Dark, cold, cloudy. In the morning.

In the classroom. Pupils are chatting whilst they wait for their teacher to arrive. Mr Powell enters with new pupil, Marie. She is quiet and shy.

CHARACTERS:

Mr Powell: (Above the noise of the classroom) Good morning Class!

Marie, 11 years old, acts very shy. She is sweet, polite, quiet. She is new to the school.

All: (To a tune, but sarcastically) Good morning Mr Powell. Good morning everybody.

David, 12 years old. He bullies Leah. He is confident, nasty, laughs at her.

Leah, 11 years old. Becomes Marie’s friend. She is sweet, polite, kind, caring and shy. She is bullied by David.

Mr Powell: (To people in the audience) Sit up straight please. Well done for remembering your tie today.

Now, as you’ll see, we have a new student joining our class today. This is Marie. Say hello to Marie, everybody.

Mr Powell, their teacher. Kind, strict, nice, fair.

All: (Sarcastically) Hello Marie.

Marie: (Shyly) Hi everyone.

Mr Powell: There’s a chair over there for you, Marie.

Now, please can everyone open their Maths books and finish the questions that we started yesterday.

I’m just popping to see the Headteacher, so everyone on their best behaviour please.

Marie looks a little confused.

Leah: Hello. I’m Leah. Do you want some help?

Marie: I should be okay, but please could I borrow a pencil?

David enters dramatically.

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David: Morning losers! (Scoffing) I had a great lie in this morning, and I had breakfast in bed. Posh toast with posh peanut butter.

Leah: (Nervously) David, Mr Powell will be back in a minute. We have to do our Maths questions. He told us to be on our best behaviour.

David: Oh, be quiet, smarty pants! Do your stupid Maths questions, I don’t care about Mr Powell.

SCENE TWO It’s break time. David is sat alone outside. He looks annoyed, but really wants to play with the other students in the playground.

David: Hi, do you want to play with…

They walk away.

Hello, can I talk…

Leah: But Maths is important.

They walk away.

David: Oh yeah? This is rubbish!

Why will nobody talk to me? It’s so unfair. (Getting angry) I wish my parents didn’t get divorced. It was so much fun when I used to live with both my Mum and my Dad. My Mum used to tell the best bedtime stories, and Dad used to let me have the best sleepovers – five in one week! Everybody was my friend back then. Now I feel like I’m on my own.

David snatches Leah’s Maths book and tears up the questions, and hands it back to her.

Leah: David, no! Stop that.

David: Pfft. You’re not the boss of me. I’m outta here.

David storms out.

Marie: (Helping Leah) Are you okay Leah? He was so mean!

Leah: (Hiding her tears) It’s okay. David is always like this. You’ll get used to it. He used to be nice, but then something changed and he become angry all the time.

Mr Powell returns.

Mr Powell: Right everyone. Well done for your hard work today. It’s break time now.

They leave for break time.

Leah and Marie walk past.

Leah: Look Marie, there’s David. Quick, let’s walk past before he sees us.

Marie: Wait! Listen. He’s crying and talking to himself.

Let’s listen.

They hide and listen to David.

David: I miss my Mum and Dad. Why did they get divorced?

Marie: (Quietly) How sad! His parents are divorced.

David sees Leah and Marie.

David: What! Have you been listening in on me?

Leah: No… we…

David: (Pushing her) Get out of my way, loser!

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Leah: Ugh! I hate him.

SCENE THREE

Marie: Don’t be so hard on him, Leah. I understand why he’s like this.

David is sat on a bench with his head in his hands. He’s sad, but he’s not crying this time.

Leah: What do you mean? You’re too nice, and he’s just horrible.

David: (Sighing) I wish I had someone to play with.

Marie: It’s because of what happened with his Mum and Dad. He doesn’t want people to know that he’s feeling sad about it.

Marie: Look! There’s David. Shall we go and talk to him?

Leah: What? That makes no sense. Why would you be horrible to people, just because you’re feeling sad?

Leah and Marie spot David.

Leah: We can try. See what he says. But I bet he’ll still be mean.

Marie: Come on, let’s give him a chance.

Marie: He just wants to be liked, and by being horrible he can get people’s attention. He doesn’t really mean it.

They walk over to David.

Leah: Woah! That’s deep. How do you know what he’s thinking?

Leah: I knew this was a bad idea.

Marie: I can relate to David a lot. My parents got divorced too. That’s why I moved to this school. I miss my old school. I became really sad too.

Leah: I’m really sorry to hear that. But you’re so nice!

I still don’t understand why he’s being mean to me.

Marie: Trust me! Just ask him to play with you, and I bet he will be nice to you instead.

They go to find David.

Hi David!

David: (Looking up, surprised) What do you want?

Marie: Leah!

Leah: Fine. Do you want to play with us?

David: (Taken back) What… You… (Pauses, accusing them) What twisted game are you playing? Why are you pretending to be nice to me?

Marie: Look, David, my parents got divorced as well.

I used to find it hard too, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be nice to people.

David: (Shocked) What do you mean?

Marie: Trust me. It’s better to stick with friends when you’re feeling sad.

Leah: So are you playing? Tag, you’re it!

Leah tags David and runs around.

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David: Wait! I never said we were friends. And I never said I was playing.

Marie: Go on!

David: (Unsure) Okay… but I don’t want to be ‘it’.

Leah: Fine! I’ll be ‘it’ then.

Marie: So, quick, run.

They play tag. Everyone has a chance to be ‘it’.

David: (Falling, laughing) That was a lot of fun. Thank you Marie. Thank you Leah. I’ve not laughed that much in ages.

Marie: Thank you for joining in. We had fun too. Let’s be friends.

David: (Nervously) I’d like that.

Marie: Leah?

Leah: Okay. Friends.

The school bell rings.

Mr Powell: Right. Home time everyone. Off you go.

See you tomorrow.

Marie: Shall we go and get some milkshakes?

David: Yes, I’m thirsty!

Leah: Me too!

They go home to have milkshakes.

End.

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JOURNEY Written by Daria • Bayards Hill Primary School SETTING:

SCENE ONE

First. At home, in bed. Second. A series of magical, enchanted worlds.

In Ava and Nina’s bedroom, before dinner time.

CHARACTERS: Nina – 11 years old – kind-hearted, loves everyone, doesn’t complain, like a mother.

Ava – 10 years old – chatterbox, doesn’t like Nina because she’s smarter.

Norman Soldier – old. Has a beard. Stone Age Man. Has a beard. Doesn’t speak English.

Mum: (Coming into the room) Ava, Nina. It’s time for dinner. We’ve got Dominos pizza! Time to…

(Shocked) Look at this mess!

Dad: (Coming into the room) What’s all the noise…?

Woah! This bedroom is so messy girls.

Ava & Nina: (Pointing at each other) She did it! No I didn’t. Stop copying me!

Mum: Look at this. Crayons everywhere! I’m confiscating these until you can play responsibly.

Dad: You can go to bed without any dinner tonight girls. You’re grounded. No Dominos for you!

Ava & Nina: What?!

Mum and Dad leave with the crayons.

Ava: No fair. Let’s just go to sleep Nina.

Nina: Fine! UGH! But that Dominos pizza smells so good.

Ava: Hopefully, they’ll leave some for us to have for breakfast.

Nina: Pizza for breakfast! YUM! Okay, goodnight.

Ava and Nina go to sleep.

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SCENE TWO

Ava: Look, Nina! Our crayons are on the floor.

Mum and Dad are in the kitchen, eating pizza whilst they speak.

Nina: And look! There’s a magical portal. Maybe Mum and Dad went in there!

Mum: The girls’ bedroom was so messy!

Ava: Maybe our crayons are magical. Try them!

Dad: I know. Oooh, pizza!

Mum: Look at all the crayons. What do they draw with them?

Nina: (Drawing in the air) O.M.G. You’re right! The crayons are magical. Let’s follow Mum and Dad into the portal to see where they went.

Mum starts drawing with the crayons in the air. A portal starts to open.

Ava: Okay, but wait, I need my phone. I can’t go anywhere without my phone.

Woah! What was that?

Nina: Ugh! Okay, but hurry up.

Dad: Don’t know. Eating.

Ava: (Returning with her phone) Okay, I’m ready. I hope they have internet where we’re going.

Mum: Dad, look! The crayons are magical.

Dad: (With pizza in his mouth) WOAH!!

Both: It’s a magical portal.

Mum and Dad are thrown into the portal.

SCENE THREE The next morning.

Ava: (Waking up) Morning Nina!

Nina: What? No! Five more minutes!

Ava: Nina! Wake up! We’ve got Dominos pizza for breakfast!

Nina: I’m awake! I’m awake!

Ava and Nina rush into the kitchen to eat the remaining pizza.

Nina: I doubt it.

Ava: WHAT?!

Nina: Come on. Pick up a crayon. Let’s go!

They go into the portal.

SCENE FOUR They arrive in the Anglo-Saxon period.

Nina: Woah! We’ve arrived.

Ava: Where are we?

Nina: (Looking around) I think… this is the AngloSaxon period.

Ava: How do you know that?

Ava: (Eating the rest of the pizza) PIZZA!! I LOVE PIZZA!!

Nina: We’re studying this in school. This is a period of fighting. Be careful! The Normans are coming. It must be the year 1066.

Nina: Wait. Where’s Mum and Dad?

Ava: What? How do you know all this?

Both: (Searching for them) Mum:! Dad:!

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Nina: How do you not know all this? I thought you were smart!

Ava: Hey! I’m only in Year 6. You’re in Year 7. I haven’t studied this yet.

S.A. Person: (Unintelligible language, pointing into the cave)

Nina: Okay. Just calm down sassy pants.

Ava: Step aside. I’ve got this. Mrs Jessop taught us the Stone Age language in school.

Ava: Nina, look! There’s a soldier running towards us.

Nina: Are you sure about this?

Mum’s voice is heard.

Mum: Nina! Ava! Help us!

Ava and the Stone Age character have an unintelligible language.

Nina: Quick. We’ve got to find Mum and Dad. RUN!

Dad: (Voice, off) Nina! Ava! Help us!

Ava: Use the magical crayon.

Ava: This kind Stone Age gentleman just informed me that our Mum and Dad are in the cave.

Nina: What do I do?

Ava: Draw a portal door.

Nina draws a door in the air with the crayon. It works and so they step through.

SCENE FIVE They arrive in a new time period. The Stone Age. Nina: (Her eyes are closed, scared) Did it work? Are we still being chased by the Norman soldier?

Ava: It worked! We’re somewhere new!

Nina: Where are we?

Ava: Umm… the Stone Age, obviously. O.M.G. I thought you were supposed to be the smart one.

Ha!

The Stone Age character unintelligibly points to the cave.

Nina: How do I say ‘thank you’ in Stone Age language?

Ava demonstrates. The Stone Age character responds with the same.

Let’s go!

They run into the cave.

SCENE SIX Ava and Nina run into the cave to find Mum and Dad. Ava & Nina: Mum! Dad! Where are you?

Mum: Girls! You found us.

Nina: Look! Somebody is coming! It’s someone who lives in a cave.

Dad: We don’t know what happened!

The Stone Age character walks over to them, confused.

Ava: They’re magical!

S.A. Person: (Unintelligible language)

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Nina: What’s he saying?

Nina: It was the crayons.

Mum & Dad: What?

Nina: Hey look at all this incredible drawings on the wall of this cave!

Ava: I learnt about these in school. They’re called cave paintings.

Mum: What? No, I drew these because I was bored waiting for you.

Dad: There’s no time for this, let’s get back home.

Nina, Ava, Mum and Dad draw the magical portal door together.

SCENE SEVEN They arrive back home in the kitchen.

Ava: Where are we?

Mum: Did we make it?

Nina: We’re home!

They celebrate.

Dad: I know, we can eat the rest of the Dominos pizza to celebrate. (Seeing that it has been eaten) Wait! It’s been eaten. Girls!

Ava & Nina: Umm… (Pointing at each other) She did it! No I didn’t. Stop copying me!

End.

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TIM THE FROG Written by Ismail, Elias and Valentino • Botley Primary School

SETTING:

SCENE ONE

KFT (KFC) at midday.

Tim the Frog is sitting in KFT (Kentucky Fried Tenders) eating fried chicken.

CHARACTERS: Tim the Frog – loves eating fried chicken Sleeping Unicorn – Tim the Frog’s best friend Jimmy the Dinosaur – likes stealing fried chicken Manager of KFT – good at his job

Tim the Frog: I love KFT, I just love KFT. Especially the fried chicken.

In walks Sleeping Unicorn.

Unicorn: Mmm this place looks great!

He orders food and then sits down next to Tim. Do you mind if I sit here?

Tim responds ‘yes’, but is eating, so you can’t understand him.

How’s your day going?

Tim the Frog: (Still eating) Mmm this place is the best! What’s your name?

Unicorn: I’m Sleeping Unicorn, pleased to meet you!

Tim the Frog: Hi my name is Tim the Frog. Wanna be friends?

Unicorn: Yes, I would love to. Can we share fried chicken?

Tim the Frog: (Reluctant at first) Ok, we can. I did buy a family bucket.

They start eating chicken together.

Mmm fried chicken is really good right?

Unicorn: It sure is! Look at how amazing this piece is.

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Tim the Frog looks at the piece of chicken.

Tim the Frog: Why didn’t you just buy some then?

Tim the Frog: Wow! And look at how beautiful my piece is.

Unicorn: Yeah!

Whilst they are comparing chicken, Jimmy the Dinosaur enters and steals the last piece of chicken from the family bucket and runs away. Sleeping Unicorn reaches for another piece, but feels nothing.

Unicorn: (Shocked) Wait a minute! Have you eaten it all?

Tim the Frog: (Confused) No I’ve only had sixteen pieces and there should be eighteen.

They start accusing each other. Jimmy the Dinosaur is running with the KFT he stole.

Jimmy: Hahaha! My KFT! Unicorn: Wait! Tim, look!

Tim the Frog: Hey! Do you think that dinosaur has…

Tim the Frog and Sleeping Unicorn notice the dinosaur heading for the door with the family bucket.

Unicorn: Yeah…I think he’s got our food Tim the Frog: We need to stop that dinosaur!

Unicorn: Yeah we really need to stop that dinosaur!

They chase after the dinosaur, who starts to run. He’s laughing, because he’s getting away. They chase him until he runs into a tree. Jimmy the Dinosaur starts to cry.

Unicorn: Ha! We’ve got you.

Tim the Frog: Are you okay? Why did you steal our food?

Jimmy: Sorry! I just wanted some fried chicken.

Jimmy: I’m broke. Nobody wants to employ dinosaurs.

Unicorn: What? Why not?

Jimmy: My arms are too short and my teeth are too sharp.

Tim the Frog: That doesn’t sound fair. People should accept you for who you are. It’s 2025. Haven’t they head of DEI? Diversity, equality and inclusion!

Sleeping Unicorn and Tim the Frog look at each other and think about what to do next.

Unicorn: I feel bad for you, bro. But that doesn’t mean you can just steal other people’s fried chicken.

Tim the Frog: Come on, Sleeping Unicorn. Be nice.

You need to eat! So why don’t we share our fried chicken with you. Let’s get another bucket, maybe even four more.

Jimmy: Are you sure? That’s really kind of you. I’m Jimmy by the way. Jimmy the Dinosaur.

Unicorn: Okay. But no stealing. Just sharing.

They all go back inside KFT and order four family buckets to share. They sit down at a table.

Tim the Frog: I’ve been thinking about it, whilst eating my chicken. I think we should help you get a job.

Unicorn: Where would you like to work? You should do something you’re passionate about.

Tim the Frog: Hey! You should work here at KFT. You love chicken!

23

Jimmy: That’s a great idea, but what if they don’t want me to work here.

Jimmy: Thank you both. We should have a celebration meal.

Tim the Frog: Let’s try!

Tim the Frog: What shall we have?

They go up to the KFT Manager.

They all look at each other.

Unicorn: (Getting his attention) Excuse me.

All: FRIED CHICKEN!!

Manager: How can I help? More chicken?

End.

Tim the Frog: Our friend, Jimmy, here, would like to work in your shop.

Manager: Hmmm… Does Jimmy have any experience?

Jimmy: Well… I eat a lot of fried chicken.

Manager: Oh yeah? What’s your favourite meal?

Jimmy: I like a family bucket.

Manager: Okay. I can see you’re passionate.

Tim the Frog: Well?

Unicorn: Please help our friend.

Manager: Okay, I’ll give him a chance. You’re hired!

You’ll start tomorrow.

All: Hooray!

Jimmy: Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow for my first shift.

They celebrate by finishing their food.

Tim the Frog: I’ve been thinking, if you haven’t been able to get a job, does this mean you don’t have a home either?

Jimmy: Yes, unfortunately.

Unicorn: I have an idea!

Tim the Frog: Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

All: Let’s all live together!

24

THE ADVENTURE IN THE AMAZON Written by Oscar, Isabelle and Zack • Millbrook Primary School – Herons Class SETTING:

SCENE ONE

First, at home. Then, the Amazon forest.

At home in the lounge. Michael is irritating his sister.

She’s annoyed by wants to be cool.

CHARACTERS: Michael – 17 years old – strong and brave.

Evie – 16 years old – nervous but wants to stand out.

Harry – 20 years old – clumsy and funny.

Michael: Oh, Evie, what should we do? I’M SO BORED! Evie: (Nervously) We could read this book togetherMichael: (Cutting her off) BORING! Evie: (Pretending) Yeah… yeah… you’re right. So boring.

Michael: I think we should go on an adventure.

Evie: (Nervously) Sure… where to?

Michael: I don’t know… maybe the Amazon?

Evie: (Worriedly) Re-really? That’s quite far. Why don’t we just stay at home and go on the Amazon website.

We could buy a new book to read together?

Michael: NO! Books are lame!

Evie: (Pretending) Yeah… yeah… you’re right. So boring. Okay, let’s go to the real Amazon. If you’re sure…?

Michael: Yes, now let’s pack my bags.

25

Evie: (Picking up an empty bag) Okay.

Michael starts throwing random objects at Evie to pack in the bag.

Is that everything? Are we ready?

Michael: Let me get the camera.

Michael: Yes, I’m coming!

They both take a closer look and start posing with the sloth.

They pack everything in car.

I look so good in that photo!

Now, let’s drive!

A noise.

Evie: (Confused) To the Amazon?

Evie: Did you hear that noise, Michael?

Michael: Yes. To the Amazon.

Michael: Oh, it’ll be nothing. Look at this photo too!

I look so good!

Evie: (Wanting to look cool) Okay. Yeah cool.

That makes sense.

A noise, again.

They start driving away.

Evie: What was that?

SCENE TWO

Michael: Shhhh! You’re disrupting me. Look how good I look in this photo too!

The pair get out of the car and look around the Amazon. Evie is scared.

A louder noise.

Michael: So many cool things to see! Look, a snake!

Here, catch.

Stranger: (Off) HELP!

Michael throws a snake at Evie. She’s terrified but tries to look cool.

Evie: Okay, let’s hurry.

And wow, a spider! Catch!

Michael throws a spider. She’s even more terrified but tries to look cool.

Evie: (Nervously) Who… who’s there?

Michael: It’s coming from over there.

They investigate. They find a stranger stuck in a tree.

Stranger: Hello? Is somebody there? Help!

Michael: Are you stuck in a tree?

Evie: Yes, yes, so cool. Wow. Why exactly did you choose the Amazon, Michael?

Stranger: Yes! Help!

Michael: Because it’s cool! And we need the fresh air.

Wow! Look at that sloth!

Stranger: Yes! Help me already!

They see a sloth clinging to a tree.

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Evie: Wow. That genuinely is cool. I’d like to get a closer look at that sloth.

Michael: Did you try to get down? Did it not work?

Evie: WAIT! Before we help you down, what is your name? Just so we aren’t helping a stranger.

Evie: (Pretending) Yeah. Tell your joke. You’re so funny, Michael.

Stranger: Harry! My name is Harry! HELP!

Michael: Okay. Knock knock.

Evie and Michael start to look around for ways to get Harry down. They’re unsuccessful on their first few attempts.

Harry: Who’s there?

Are you nearly done down there?

Michael: Why don’t we try that big stick? That might help!

Harry: HELP! Evie: Just be patient, Harry!

Harry: I can’t be patient. I’ve been stuck up here all day.

Michael: If you can’t be patient, then you can climb down yourself.

Michael: Bean.

Harry: Bean who?

Michael: Been a while since I last saw ya!

Pause for laughter. Michael laughs at his own joke.

Harry and Evie don’t laugh, until Michael looks at them.

They pretend he’s hilarious.

Evie: (Pretending) That’s so funny! I’m going to use that one when we get home.

Michael: I know, right.

Harry: Thank you for that wonderful joke.

Harry: I can’t. I’m stuck.

Evie: Right, shall we keep walking. We should get you to safety, Harry.

Evie: Wait. I think I packed a rope.

They start to walk. A noise.

They throw the rope. Harry ties it around his waist, and they help him out of the tree.

Michael: Wait, did you hear that?

Harry: Thank goodness! I’m down!

Evie: You’re welcome.

Michael: Happy to help. But, Harry, how did you get stuck up there?

Harry: I came here on an adventure but got hungry, so I climbed that tree to get some delicious fruit.

Then I realised I couldn’t get back down and have been stuck ever since!

Evie: No. Harry: I couldn’t hear anything.

A noise.

Michael: I heard it again!

Harry: You’re hearing things, Michael.

A louder noise. They all hear it this time. They turn together.

Michael: Is that…

Evie: Poor you!

Evie: A giant monkey?

Michael: Hey! I have a joke about fruit. Do you want to hear it? It’s so funny!

Harry: AHH RUN!!!

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Michael: Well, I wasn’t exactly going to just stand here and wait.

Evie: Run, Michael!

They are chased back and forth, but eventually lose the monkey.

Phew! Finally we got away!

Michael: Look!

They spot their car.

Evie: Our car!

Michael: Do you want to come home with us Harry?

Harry: Oh. Yes please. Are you sure?

Michael: Absolutely. Okay. Let’s go.

They start driving.

Harry: Can I ask a question?

Michael: Of course!

Harry: How did you drive to the Amazon?

They all look confused. Nobody knows the answer.

Michael: Hey, do you want to hear another joke?

Evie shakes her head.

End.

28

GYMNASTICS GONE WRONG Written by Darcy & Cleo • Millbrook Primary School – Kingfishers Class SETTING:

SCENE ONE

At home, in their house. Outside their home.

Gymnastics centre.

Rosie and Jodie are at home, stretching and getting ready to leave for gymnastics class.

CHARACTERS: Rosie – 16 years old – mischievous.

Jody – 18 years old – Rosie’s sister. Forgetful.

Mum Gymnastics Coach Walker – 40 years old.

Rosie: Have you got your gymnastics leotard on already?

Jodie: Yeah. Underneath my other clothes. Have you got yours on already?

Rosie: No! I’ll put mine on when we get there.

Mum: (Entering, frustrated) Hurry up you two, you’re going to be late for your gymnastics class.

Rosie: Nearly ready, Mum. Mum: (Angry) Go! Now! Jodie: & Rosie: Okay! Bye Mum. Rosie rushes off. Jodie is slower to leave.

Mum: Wait! You’ve forgotten your lunch.

Jodie: Thanks Mum. Mum: Okay, go. Enjoy your class!

Jodie leaves to join Rosie outside.

SCENE TWO Rosie hides behind a bush outside of their house.

Jodie: Rosie, I have our lunch. Rosie? Rosie? Where are you?

Jodie searches for Rosie, panicked.

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Rosie: (Jumping out of a bush) Boo! Jodie: You go away! That’s not funny! Quick, we need to get to gymnastics, otherwise we are going to be late.

Rosie: You’re just as bossy as Mum. Okay, okay, I’m coming.

The girls might pop up at different points making funny faces behind their backs.

The girls cartwheel and leap across the stage.

Jodie: ROSIE!!

Coach: Oh no! We’ve looked everywhere. Where could they be? Maybe we should call the police.

They might be missing.

Rosie: I’ve got an idea that will be hilarious.

The phone rings.

They run off to class.

Mum: (Answering) Rosie, is that you?

SCENE THREE

Rosie: Yes! (Silly voice) Jodie and I are hiding, and I bet you can’t guess where?

At the Gymnastics Class.

Mum: Rosie!! You are in big trouble when I find you.

Coach: Now, good morning boys and girls. Time to take the register. Mike. Yes. Paul. Yes. Alice. Yes. Beth. Yes. Lucy and Caitlin. Ahh Yes. Jodie and Rosie?

They’re not here yet? That’s not like them. Let me call their Mum to see if they’re coming in today.

Everybody, warm up whilst I’m on the phone.

Rosie: If you can’t find me, I want £1000 pounds.

Rosie makes a mischievous face.

Coach calls their Mum. Mum: (On the phone) Hello?

Coach: Ah, hello Mrs Wallis. This is Coach Walker from the Gymnastics Class. Are Jodie and Rosie coming to class today?

Mum: What do you mean? They left a long time ago.

I’m so worried! I’m on my way. We should look for them! We have to find them!

Mum rushes to the Gymnastics Centre. A comical searching routine happens.

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Coach and Mum run across the stage searching and looking for the girls, shouting their names.

Mum & Coach: ROSIE!! Stop being silly.

Rosie: I’ll give you a clue. We’re in the foam pit.

Coach: The foam pit!

Mum and Coach search the foam pit. They can’t find the girls.

Mum: (Calling Rosie) ROSIE!! Stop being silly. Where are you? I’m getting worried. Put your sister on the phone.

Jodie: Hi Mum! Mum: Jodie, you are in big trouble young lady.

Jodie: Oh, no! Okay, okay, we’re in the basement.

Coach: The basement!

Mum and Coach gallop to the basement.

SCENE FOUR The basement. It’s dark. The girls are giggling.

Coach: I think I can hear them.

They try looking in two places, but each time the girls are giggling.

Mum: (Getting upset) Girls, this isn’t funny!

Jodie: We’re here Mum. Rosie: Jodie!

Mum: (Running to them, hugging) Girls are you okay?

Anything could have happened to you!

Coach: We thought you might have been whisked away.

Jodie: To another country?

Rosie: Or stolen by some sick aliens?

Mum: No gymnastics for you today. OR FOR AGES. Jodie: Mummm!

Rosie: It was my idea, Mum. We were only joking.

Coach: It’s not funny, Rosie.

Rosie: Sorry Coach.

Mum: Thanks Coach. I’ll take you girls home now.

They go to leave.

Jodie: Thanks for looking after us, Mum. Rosie: Yes, Mum. Thanks for looking after us.

End.

31

GOING TO AMERICA Written by Lincoln • St Barnabas CE Primary School SETTING:

SCENE ONE

Cairo in the 1980s. Then America.

It’s a sunny day in Cairo. Some friends meet for a coffee before school.

CHARACTERS: Bach - hates school, loves food.

Alice – Bach’s friend, hates school, but is good with computers.

Andrew – Bach’s friend, also hates school, is secretive.

Bach: Hi Alice, how are you? Come and join me for a coffee.

Alice: Hi Bach. Good, thanks. How about you?

Bach: I’m not that great Alice. They’ve just changed the rules at school. They’re forcing us to go to school for 14 hours every single day.

Alice: WHAT! Are you joking? That’s a stupid new rule.

Bach: No, I am not joking.

Andrew enters and orders a coffee.

Andrew! How are you? Come and join us for a coffee.

Andrew: Hey! What are you talking about?

Alice: Bach was just telling me that his school has just changed the rules and he has to go to school now for 14 hours every single day.

Andrew: Woah! That’s crazy. At my school we only need to be there for 3 hours, and they give us a 15-minute break too.

Bach: You are so lucky.

Alice: Hey! I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we skip school today, and move to America!

They look at each other as though the idea is terrible, but then change their mind.

32

All: YESSSS!! Great idea!!

Andrew: Have the prices changed since yesterday?

Bach: When shall we go?

Alice: I’ll have a look again on my laptop.

Alice: Well, there’s lots to organise, so we should start our plans now! I’ll get my laptop out of my bag.

Bach: Anyways, how was your weekend Andrew?

Bach: Fingers crossed. I’m getting so bored of looking at the pyramids here in Cairo. It’s the same view every day.

Andrew: Shhhh! It’s a secret.

Andrew: Well…

Bach: O-okay.

Alice: No, still too expensive until October.

Alice: Okay, I’m just looking at the price of flights and places to live. I think we might have to move later in the year, in October.

Bach: So I’ve got to keep going to school for 14 hours a day until then? WHYYYYYYY??

Bach: What? But I can’t wait that long.

Andrew: The food in America will be so much better than here too. I went to the market yesterday and ordered some pork and chicken, and it arrived raw but covered in sauce so that people couldn’t tell!

And it cost more than £500.

Andrew: We want to move now.

Alice: But It’s way more expensive now than in October. £15000 more expensive!

They all look sad.

Bach: Okay, well, let’s look again tomorrow. I guess I’ll have to go to school. See you in 14 hours.

All: Bye. Have a good day. See you later.

They go their separate ways.

SCENE TWO The next day at the coffee shop.

Alice: I know. I’m desperate to move to America too!

Bach: I had the same issue. Their beef was cooked for more than 48 hours and was so burnt! And it cost more than £3000.

Alice: Oh, I’ll miss the market. It’s probably the only thing I like about this city. The seafood there looks so nice.

Bach: The seafood is also cooked for 48 hours, and costs more than £1million.

Alice: Hi Bach. Hi Andrew. How was school yesterday?

Alice: Okay, okay, don’t argue with me.

Bach: Soooooo looooooong!

Bach: AND their desserts are burnt, and their strawberries are burnt, and they cook the puddings for more than 50 days.

Andrew: 14 hours is so unfair.

Bach: Did you have a good day at school yesterday Alice?

Alice: I’m so bored of school. I couldn’t be more sure that we need to move to America.

Andrew: Calm down Bach!

Bach is hyperventilating, because he’s so passionate about food.

Andrew: Bach!

33

Bach: Sorry. I’m just very passionate about food!

SCENE THREE

Alice: We do spend a lot of money on food at the market, don’t we?

They arrive in America.

Andrew: Too much money!

Alice: WOW! New York City.

Alice: I know! Why don’t we learn how to cook, and then we can save lots of money and move to America much sooner!!

Andrew: Everything’s so much bigger over here. The buildings. The cars. The food! I can’t wait to try some American chocolate.

Andrew: Great idea! Let’s cook pork with onion sauce!

Bach: The burgers are so tasty! I’m so glad we moved.

This place is so much better than our old city in Cairo. AND! (Dancing) No. More. School.

Bach: Such a good idea.

Alice: Let’s cook lots of things so that we’ll have enough food until we go to America.

Alice: Wait, I just got an email message.

Andrew: Quick, let’s get the ingredients now!

Bach: And me!

They go shopping for pork and onion, and start cooking. They’re not very good.

Alice: It’s from the New York International School. It says, because we are still children, we still have to go to school.

Alice: We’ve made so much food!

Andrew: Me too.

Andrew: How much money do you think we have saved?

Andrew: We start tomorrow… at 6am!

Bach: More than £3million!

Bach: That’s 14 hours! WHYYYYY?

Alice: Wow! We were spending so much money on food before.

Andrew: We moved all this way for nothing.

Andrew: We’ve definitely got enough to move to America now.

End.

Bach: Let’s go to the airport right now!

Alice: Wait, should we pack?

Bach: No, we’ve got enough money now to buy new things in America.

Andrew: Let’s go!

They rush to the airport.

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All: WE MADE IT!

Alice: And we finish… at 8pm!

They collapse together, severely disappointed.

THE SPACE QUEST ADVENTURE Written by Maria, St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

SETTING:

SCENE ONE

At home on the sofa. And Outer Space.

Avery, Jake and Emma are sat on the sofa. Avery and Jake are on their phones and Emma is watching TV.

CHARACTERS: Avery – 14 years old – has a crush on Jake and dreams of going to Space.

Emma – 12 years old – kind-hearted, emotional, and scared of Space.

Jake – 15 years old – Emma’s brother. Has a crush on Avery, loves sports.

Avery: Look at my newly painted nails, Jake!

Avery flirtatiously shows Jake her freshly painted nails.

Jake: Wow! Cool, Avery!

Emma: Let me see!

Jake: No. Go away, Emma. I want to spend some time with Avery on my own.

Emma: No! I just want to see.

Avery: It’s fine, Jake. Here, you can look too, Emma.

Be nice to your sister, Jake.

Emma: So. Cute.

Avery: I know.

Jake: (Muttering) Girls.

Emma: (Purposely ignoring Jake’s comment) Can you guys play Just Dance with me please?

Avery: I’m so up for it!

Jake: Not again!

Emma: Please?

Avery: Come on, Jake.

Jake: (Only because he has a crush) Fine!

35

They play Just Dance. There’s a choreographed dance.

They’re all really good. They collapse on the sofa.

Avery: Okay… but if I chip my new nail varnish, it’s your fault.

Emma: I’m exhausted!

They step into the portal.

Jake: Me too!

Avery: Me three!

A portal noise.

Emma: What was that?

Avery: (To Jake) Did you hear something?

Jake: No, I don’t think so.

A portal noise.

Avery: What was that?

Emma: See! I wasn’t imagining it.

Jake: Oh, it was probably just my stomach rumbling.

It’s nearly lunchtime.

Emma & Avery: Oh, yeah, you’re probably right.

A portal appears. Emma falls into the portal. Jake and Avery don’t realise.

Emma: AHHHHHH! She disappears.

Jake: I’m so hungry.

Avery: Me too! Wait! Where’s your sister?

Jake: She’s probably gone to make lunch for us.

Avery: She’s so sweet. Let’s go help her.

They spot the portal.

Wait, what is that?

Avery: I… I… don’t know!

Jake: It’s a portal! I’ve always dreamt of going in one.

Let’s go in it!

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SCENE TWO They land on a spaceship. Emma is there!

Emma: Step back evil aliens!

Avery: It’s just us, Emma!

Jake: There you are! Did you make us some lunch?

Emma: You guys came to save me.

Jake: What? No we… (Acting brave to impress Avery) I mean… yeah, we’ve come to save you.

Avery: We were so worried about you! You disappeared into thin air.

Emma: You were worried about me, Jake?

Jake: NO! (Avery looks disappointed) I mean… yeah, yeah, really worried!

Emma: Well, we’re stuck in the middle of Space, so Jake you should drive us to the Moon. That’ll help us get back to Earth.

Avery: What are we going to find on the Moon to help us?

Emma: Aliens, of course!

Jake: Should we practice speaking like an alien? They have wobbly, robotic voices like this. (Imitates Alien) Avery and Emma join in pretending to be aliens.

Emma: I was scared, but now I love Space!

Jake drives the spaceship. They arrive at the Moon.

We’re here! Let’s explore!

They leave the spaceship.

SCENE THREE

Alien: Would it be easier if I just speak in English?

They are walking across the moon.

Emma: Look! It’s Jupiter and Saturn in the distance.

Avery: Wow! You can speak English! Do you like my nail varnish Mr Alien?

Avery: I love Saturn’s rings!

Alien: SLAY!

Jake: Somebody’s been a nerd at school! I bet you can’t name all the planets.

Emma: We need to get back to Earth. Can you help us?

Emma: Okay. (Really fast) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. And the five officially recognised dwarf planets are Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea and Makemake.

Avery: We need your help! We went through a portal and got stuck here in Space.

Avery: Wow! Impressive.

Avery: Wow! He’s so clever and cool.

Jake: (Put in his place) Yeah. Well. Good for you.

Emma: (Bowing) I know.

Jake: (Mocking her voice in jealousy) Yeah, well, I could have done that.

They carry on walking. An alien appears.

Emma: Come on, let’s go.

Jake: STOP!

Avery: Thank you Mr Alien.

Emma: Look, aliens!!

They board the spaceship and fly back to Earth.

Avery: O.M.G. I thought they were gonna be scary, but they’re actually very cute.

Jake: PHEW!

Emma: Let’s ask them for help.

Emma: What an adventure?

Avery: Okay.

Avery: We were all so brave.

They walk up to the alien.

Jake: Did you think I was brave too?

Alien: BLUU BLAA BLI BLI BLU BLA.

Avery: Of course! The bravest of them all.

Emma: What’s he saying?

Jake: Avery… will you be my girlfriend?

Avery: Jake! You can speak Alien.

Avery: (Shocked) Oh! Only if you play Just Dance with me and your sister first.

Jake steps forward to start a conversation, but he can’t really speak Alien.

Alien: How about I help set the Sat Nav on your spaceship to help you get home.

Avery: Back home!

Jake: Deal!

Emma: Well?

Emma: (Pretends to be sick) Gross.

Jake continues to speak ‘Alien’.

The real Alien finds it hilarious and collapses laughing.

End.

37

THE DRAGON FROM MERCURY Written by Yoyo • St Michael’s CE Primary School

SETTING:

SCENE ONE

A small house. In the garden, the dragon has a nest.

Anna and Pip are baking at home.

CHARACTERS:

Anna: It needs some jam. Let’s go pick some blackberries in the garden.

Anna – 9 years old – she acts like a little girl.

She has two pony tails.

Pip – 8 years old – she acts like a little girl too.

Her hair falls down her back.

Dragon – from Mercury. She has a baby.

Pip: (Tasting the bowl) Mmmm, delicious. You’re so good at baking, Anna.

Pip: (Mouth full of cake) Yes, good idea.

They go to the garden.

Anna: Okay, I’ll search for blackberries in this bush, and you can search in that bush.

They search for blackberries.

Any luck?

Pip: Not yet.

Anna: Okay, let’s swap.

They search for blackberries in different bushes.

Pip: Wait! This bush is moving.

A dragon is revealed.

Ahhhhhh! A dragon!!

Anna: (Excitedly) Wow. I’ve never seen a dragon before.

The dragon is coughing.

Pip: Oh no, he looks sick.

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Anna: Are you okay? Can we help you?

SCENE TWO

Dragon: (Unwell) Can you give me some water please?

Pip and Anna sit eating cake.

Pip: Okay. I’ll get some for you from the river at the bottom of the garden.

Pip: I’ll search the internet on my phone for ways to look after a dragon egg.

Anna: Good idea! What does it say?

Pip returns and the Dragon drinks all the water.

Pip: It says to put it in water, to keep it warm.

Dragon: Thank you so much.

Anna: Yes, this is what Mummy Dragons do too!

Anna: Are you feeling better?

Pip: Okay! Let’s do it! And it says here we may have to do it for several days.

Dragon: Much better, thank you.

Pip: Where did you come from? Why are you in a bush in our garden?

Anna: We can use the baking bowl!

Dragon: I’m from Mercury. I flew here because I was in danger, and look, I have an egg that needs protection. I need to keep the egg here on Earth to keep it safe. Please will you look after it?

Pip: Now we need some water.

Pip: What?

Pip: Of course! There we are.

Dragon: Sorry, I can’t stay. I must fly back to Mercury.

I’ll leave my egg with you. One day it will grow to become a dragon and will fly back to Mercury to meet me.

Anna: Okay, perfect. Now we have to wait.

Anna: But… but… this is your dragon egg, not ours.

SCENE THREE

Dragon: I trust you. I believe you two can help me.

Thank you, I must go.

Overnight the egg has developed dark spots.

The Dragon flies away.

Pip: What shall we do? We don’t know how to look after a dragon.

Anna: Let’s go back inside and think.

They return indoors.

They put the egg in the baking bowl.

Pip uses a watering can to pour in some water.

Anna: That’s not enough water, Pip. More water!

Pip: Can we sleep? It’s been such a tiring afternoon.

They sleep.

Anna: (Yawning) Morning Pip. Wake up!

Pip: Huh? What? (Notices the egg, screaming) Ahhhhh!!!

Anna: What happened?

Pip: The… the.. the egg! The egg has developed lots of dark spots.

Anna: Ahhhh! What happened?

Pip: I don’t know. Let’s take it out.

39

Anna: What do the instructions say we need to do now?

Anna: Good idea.

Pip checks her phone.

Dragon: Hello! How is my egg?

Pip: We should put it one some paper in the heat.

Anna: Please tell us what we should do!

Anna: How about we take it outside in the sunshine?

Mercury is the planet that is closest to the sun, so we need to keep it warm like on Mercury.

Dragon: Tell me what you’ve done so far.

They run outside and put it in the sunlight.

Pip: Is it working?

Anna: I don’t know. I don’t think so. Are you sure this is what the instructions say?

Pip: (Checking the phone) Oh, it says here that sometimes dragon eggs might prefer the cold instead of the heat. Let’s leave the egg outdoors overnight.

40

Pip: (On FaceTime) Hello! Dragon, can you help us?

Anna: (Showing the egg on FaceTime) We covered it in water. We tried it in sunlight. And we’ve tried it in moonlight.

Dragon: No!! That’s all wrong!! You need to use water from the river, and then keep the egg in the dark. No light at all. Do this, and the baby dragon will hatch quickly. Do you understand what to do now?

Pip: Anna, write that down!!

Dragon: (Blowing a kiss to her egg) I’ll see you soon baby. Take care of my egg!

Anna: Yes, when the moon comes out.

They put the phone down.

Pip: Now, shall we go to sleep? It’s really tiring looking after an egg.

Anna: Okay, let’s go to the river in the garden. And we should cover the egg, so that it is in darkness.

They leave the egg outside and return indoors to sleep.

Pip: Will it really work?

SCENE FOUR The next morning. The egg has turned black.

Anna: I don’t know, but the dragon told us that this is the way to do it, and it’s her baby, so I think it will work really well.

Anna: Pip, wake up! Let’s check on the egg!

They go to the river.

Pip: What happened? Has anything changed?

Pip: Okay, done.

Anna: The egg is a black egg! What do we do?

Both: Shall we go to sleep now?

Pip: Let’s FaceTime the Dragon on Mercury. She’ll know what to do.

They go inside to sleep.

SCENE FIVE Overnight the egg has hatched.

Anna: Pip, wake up! Let’s go and see if it worked.

Pip: I’ve been awake all night, I couldn’t sleep.

Anna: Come on, let’s look!

They run outside.

Pip: Well?

Anna: I think… it worked!!

Pip: Wait! It’s flying away. Where’s it going?

Anna: It’s flying to meet its Mummy.

Pip: Goodbye baby dragon!

Anna: What shall we do now?

Pip: Sleep?

Anna shakes her head.

End.

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ALONE Written by Felicity • Thameside Primary School SETTING:

SCENE ONE

In a dark, windy and rainy forest. It is night time.

Lucy, Bob and Ruby are walking through the woods at night.

CHARACTERS: Lucy – 15 years old. Loves her family and dislikes being away from them.

Bob – 12 years old. Cheeky, dislikes fruit, loves meat, muscly.

Ruby – 9 years old. Dislikes monsters, loves animals, beautiful.

Lucy: We shouldn’t be in the woods so late at night.

Let’s get out of here!

Bob: No we should keep going. We came here to look for monsters.

Ruby looks scared, and Lucy looks at Bob to stop talking.

Sorry, I mean… (Lying) There are no monsters.

Ruby: (Shivering) Are you sure?

Lucy: (Unsure) Bob’s right, there are no monsters here.

Ruby: O-okay.

Lucy: Let’s keep going on.

They carry on, and Bob keeps falling behind to try and scare Ruby. He does monster impressions. Lucy is the most scared, but she pretends she’s being brave.

Stop scaring her!

Ruby: (Sobbing) Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Bob: (Sarcastically) Sorry.

Ruby: That’s okay!

Lucy glares at Bob. Lucy: (Whispering) I’m keeping my eye on you.

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Bob: (Whispering) Okay. Ruby’s such a baby!

As they carry on walking, they see a dark figure, which quickly disappears.

Bob: I don’t want to hold your hand. Why are you always in charge, why not me?

Lucy: Because I’m the oldest!

Ruby: (Scared) What was that?

Bob: Well, I’m not listening to you anymore.

Bob: (The most scared) Monster!

Bob storms off into the dark forest.

Lucy: Run!!

Lucy: Bob stop!

They run away in the opposite direction.

Lucy starts crying.

SCENE TWO They hide. Bob quickly pretends he was never scared, even though he was. He then tries to scare Ruby again.

Lucy is shouting at Bob and Ruby is crying.

Ruby: Whaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Lucy: Stop scaring her you idiot!

Bob: (Sarcastically) Fine.

Lucy: (Glaring at Bob) Let’s keep going and stay close.

They keep exploring the forest.

Ruby: Lucy, are you okay?

Lucy: No. Ruby starts crying because without Bob she can’t have a laugh.

Stop whinging Ruby, it’s annoying.

Ruby: I can’t help it.

Lucy: Bob was right, you can’t stop being a baby!

Ruby: Fine, I’m leaving!

Ruby storms off into the forest.

Ruby: I can’t.

Lucy: What? Wait! Come back! Mum and Dad are going to kill me. What am I going to do? Whaa! I must find them.

Bob: You can.

She runs to find them.

Bob: Stop shivering Ruby.

Ruby: Can’t.

Bob: Can.

SCENE THREE

Lucy: Stop fighting, both of you!

Bob is alone, searching.

Ruby: (Sad) Okay.

Bob: Where am I? At least Lucy isn’t here to boss me around.

Bob: (Sarcastically) Fine.

Lucy: Thank you. Now Bob, you hold my right hand and Ruby you hold my left hand.

Ruby: Fine.

Bob hears noises and becomes scared.

I’m going to find Lucy and Ruby. I miss them.

Meanwhile… Ruby is along, searching.

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Ruby: Why did I storm off? There might be monsters in here and they’ll be coming to eat me!

Bob: Wait, is that Lucy?

Meanwhile…

Lucy!

Lucy: Bob! Ruby! Bob! Ruby! Oh, where are they?

Ruby: Lucy, it’s you!

Lucy starts to cry.

Bob: I think we should go home now please.

Whaa! I’m the worst sister ever. Why did I shout at Bob and tell Ruby to stop whinging? They would have stayed with me! I’ve got to keep searching for them.

Lucy: That sounds like a good idea. Come on.

Meanwhile...

Bob: Lucy! Ruby! Oh, why did I storm off? If I had listened to Lucy, I would still be with them right now.

(Crying) Whaaaa!

Meanwhile…

Ruby: Wait. What’s that crying? Is it Bob? I’ve never heard Bob cry before. Bob! Bob! It’s me!

Bob: (Scared) Who said that? A monster!

Ruby: (Running towards him) It’s me, Ruby! Bob, it’s Ruby!

Bob: (Hugging) Where’s Lucy?

Ruby: I stormed off because she told me to stop whinging and I got mad.

Bob: Whinging? You? No! Anyway, we need to find Lucy and go home.

Meanwhile…

Lucy: Bob! Ruby! Where are you? I hope I can find them or I’m in big trouble.

She starts shouting louder.

BOB! RUBY!

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Ruby and Bob see Lucy in the distance.

They turn round and they see the dark figure standing behind them again.

All: A MONSTER! AHHHHHHH! End.

A WILD JOURNEY

By Frankie & Archie • Wheatley CE Primary School SETTING:

SCENE ONE

A back garden. A plane. A wild temple. A jungle.

In the back garden. Lauren is playing on her phone.

CHARACTERS: Lebron – a skilled explorer. He has lived 10 years in the jungle previously.

Lauren – Lebron’s daughter. Pink hair, adventurous. Approx. 10 years old.

A snack-eating Monkey.

Leroy the Lion An antagonistic RV Driver

Lebron: (Entering) Lauren! Are you ready to go on the adventure of a lifetime?

Lauren: (Sassy) No Dad! I’m hungry and then I’m going to the park with my mates.

Lebron: But what if I tell you we’ll be riding on a motorbike?

He jumps into action on a motorbike.

Lauren: (Suddenly excited) Okay! Change of plans. I’m coming! Where are we going?

Lebron: Let’s go to the airport!

Lauren: The airport? Where are we flying to?

Lebron: It’s called… the Amazon rainforest.

Lauren: What? No! I never agreed to going there!

There might be scary things there!

Lebron: Maybe. But there will also be amazing animals and sounds and smells and…

Lauren: Food?

Lebron: YES! Lauren: Okay, let’s go! Take us to the airport, Dad! They get on the plane.

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SCENE TWO

One arrow shoots past and they dodge it. Like in a film.

On the plane. Lauren is eating loudly.

Lebron: Just like that! Watch your step. Are you impressed yet?

Lauren: I love aeroplanes.

Lebron: I hate this fancy plane food.

Lauren: This is just normal, right? Everyone around here is just eating and sleeping and on their phones.

Not a worry in the world!

Lebron: And look, the walls are leaking water. Are you impressed now?

A jolt. The plane is in distress.

Lauren: Oh no! I’ve just done my hair.

Lebron: Oh no! I think the plane is running out of power!

Lebron: Stop complaining. I used to shower in this when I lived here.

Both: AHHHHHHH!

Lauren: Where else is there to see? This place is so not cool.

Lebron: Let’s jump to safety. Are you ready?

Lebron: (Shaking his head) Come on.

Both: Three, two, one. JUMP!

They exit the temple.

They parachute down out of the plane. They land safely.

SCENE FOUR

SCENE THREE They arrive in the Amazon rainforest.

Lauren: Wow! Lebron: We arrived in the great Amazon rainforest.

Lauren: How lucky that we landed here!

Lebron: This way! I used to live here 10 years ago. I think I know a temple around here. Come on!

They find the temple.

Into the wide jungle. Lebron and Lauren are looking around. A monkey is chilling in a tree, eating a banana.

Lauren: (Scared) Where are we now? I’m scared. I miss the temple. It was cool there.

Lebron: We’re in the very centre of the jungle. Look out for the monkeys.

Lebron climbs up a tree like the adventurer he is and steals the monkey’s banana.

(Throwing down the banana) Here! Catch! This is for you.

Lauren: (Pretending not to be impressed) Wow! It’s… okay… I guess.

Monkey: Hey! That’s mine.

Lebron: Okay? It’s amazing!

Lebron: It’s not poo. It’s fruit! A banana.

Lauren: It’s dirty and crusty!

Lauren storms off! She trips up and hurts her leg and cries in pain. The monkey gasps.

Lebron: Be careful! Sometimes these statues shoot arrows!

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Lauren: (Excited) Cool… I mean… yeah, it’s okay I guess.

Lauren: Ewwww! I’m not eating monkey poo.

Monkey: I think she might need help!

Lebron climbs down the tree to help.

Lebron: (Fed up) Do I really have to carry you the rest of the way? There is so much to see.

Lauren: I think you have to carry me the rest of the way. Bad luck Dad. It does hurt though!

Lebron: We’ll go to my old base.

Lebron carries Lauren to an area where she can sit down.

Lebron: It’s my old friend, Leroy the Lion! Long time no see!

Lebron and Leroy dab as a greeting.

Lauren, this is my old friend Leroy the Lion. He was my best friend and helped me through my 10 years living in the Amazon jungle. (To Leroy) Can you help us get back to my old base? We’re trying to get home because my daughter has hurt her leg. It’s not much of an adventure at the moment.

Leroy: Don’t worry! I have bandages.

SCENE FIVE

Leroy produces them and does first aid on Lauren’s leg.

They’ve been exploring for a while.

Lauren: Thank you Leroy.

Lauren: I think we’re lost, Dad. We’re no closer to finding your old base.

Lebron: We need to go home and get your leg properly checked at the hospital. Can you help us get home Leroy?

Lauren pulls out her phone and starts texting.

Lebron: It’s getting dark. I’m going to make a fire before it gets cold. Are you going to help? Lauren?

Lauren get off your phone!

Lauren: No! Lebron: Lauren!

Lebron throws the phone away and they hear a loud roar.

Leroy: Yes, we have things around here that can help you get found.

Lauren finds and picks up a red flag and begins to wave it. They all yell for help.

I reckon in half an hour someone will be here to rescue you. Although I’m sad you’ve got to leave so soon.

Lauren: What was that?

Lebron: I’ll be back next month, don’t worry. You know I love an adventure.

A lion comes on stage, having been hit by the phone.

Lauren: Me too! It’s okay here… I guess.

WHAT IS THAT??

Lebron: What? When we first got here you couldn’t wait to get out of the dirty, crusty temple… Oh, never mind.

The lion is snarling and roaring until it recognises Lebron.

Lebron: (Friendly) Wait! It’s you! Hello old friend!

The lion is suddenly happy to see Lebron and Lauren.

Lauren: Wait! Who is it?

Leroy: Someone’s coming to take you home!

An RV driver arrives.

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Driver: Do you need help?

Lauren: Finally!

Lebron: Bye, Leroy.

Lauren: Thank you for all your help.

They look sadly at each other. Friends parting.

Driver: Come on you stupid romantic people!

Lauren: I’m not getting in if you speak to us like that!

Driver: Sorry. Let’s drive you home.

Lauren: (Getting in the RV) Thanks for bringing me on your adventure, Dad. Lebron: Right. Do you want to get KFC on the way home?

All: YESSSSSSS!!!

End.

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BREAKING NEWS: A TURKEY HAS ESCAPED! We are so proud of all the young playwrights who have written plays as part of Primary Playmaker. What a back catalogue of work exists! We couldn’t resist sharing this one with you from 2019.

BREAKING NEWS – A TURKEY HAS ESCAPED!

By Kimia • Bayards Hill Primary School SETTINGS:

SCENE ONE

1. In a living room. There is a sofa, a TV, remote and magazine – and Christmassy decorations of course!

The family are sitting on the sofa, quite bored. Laura and Mum are watching TV whilst Lily is reading a magazine.

2. In a kitchen. There is a fridge full of Christmas food (including the turkey).

Laura: (Sarcastically, flicking through channels) Well this is …amusing.

3. Path to the news organisation from home.

Laura switches the channel to the news.

4. BBC Studio. Cameras and bright lights, as well as a secret door.

News Presenter: (On the television) Today’s headlines: the world creates the first whoopee cushion that can produce real farts; a YouTube video of a cat riding on a tortoise officially gets one billion complaints, and…

CHARACTERS: Lily – Age 12 – Sassy and easily bored Laura – Age 15 – Always bored and bossy Mum – Age 40 – Can’t run very fast Lady at the front desk – Age 21 – Doesn’t like doing work News Presenter – Age 62 – Really bad at her job

Lily: (Snatching the remote) The news is always so boring.

Laura: (Snatching the remote back) Wait, I think something cool is coming on.

News Presenter: (Continuing) A turkey has escaped from a house in Antsbury, wandering out of the fridge into the centre of the big town.

Lily: Wait, we live in Antsbury, don’t we?

Laura: Yeah, stupid.

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Mum: Laura, don’t speak to your sister like that.

Laura: Quick, let’s go.

Laura: Sorry, Lily. (Mouthing the words) I’m not sorry really.

They grab their coats and rush out of the door.

Lily: Oh, whatever, I’m going to the fridge to get some yule log.

SCENE THREE

Laura: Ooh, I’ll come with you. I want a candy cane.

Laura and Lily go into the kitchen.

SCENE TWO The kitchen. Laura and Lily walk over to the fridge, and browse through it to see what food they can eat.

Lily: Mmmm… yule log.

Out on the street leading into the town centre. Lily, Laura and Mum are busily searching for their missing turkey.

Lily: This is stupid, and we’re probably mistaking this turkey that’s on the loose for another one.

Laura: But it does seem like a massive coincidence.

Lily: No, I bet the news organisation are just making a massive FART.

Laura: (Shoving Lily out of the way) Move over, I want a candy cane.

Mum: (Shocked) Lily!

Lily: (Looking confused) Mum, you should probably buy the turkey soon. Christmas is only three days away.

Lily: A FART. A frantically, astonishing, ridiculous trap.

You know, they’re tricking us into going somewhere that we don’t need to go. What did you think I said?

Mum: Oh Lily, stop being a funny joker. I bought the turkey a week ago.

Laura: Oh, nothing, I think we’re probably hearing things.

Lily: Erm… okay, but where have you put it?

Mum: Silly us.

Mum: In the fridge, obviously.

Laura: (Indicating the fridge) No, Lily’s right, Mum. The turkey is NOT here.

Mum: (Looking in the fridge, panicking) How… what… when… why? How could a fat turkey like that disappear?

Laura: Excuse me?

SCENE FOUR Three hours later. Lily and Laura finally reach the BBC News studio. They are exhausted after walking so far.

Mum could not manage to walk the whole journey.

Lily: (Breathless) I think… we’re here…

Laura and Lily look at each other worriedly.

Laura: (Breathless) I think… you’re right…

Lily: You don’t think…

Lily: What happened to Mum?

Laura: Is it really?

Laura: She got fed up of walking, so she went to the pub.

Mum: Oh my goodness. The news report!

Lily: Actually, why didn’t we take the car?

Laura: Oh yeah.

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Lily and Laura both enter the building and go to the lady at the front desk.

Lady at the front desk: Look, I’m going to Facetime the security guards!

Lady at the front desk: (Not really paying attention) Can I help you?

Laura: (To Lily) Quick, jump on!

Laura: Yes, we would like to speak to the…

Laura runs as fast as she can with Lily on her back.

Lily: (Covering Laura’s mouth) She… doesn’t want to talk to anyone. Sorry, she’s my crazy sister.

SCENE FIVE

Laura and Lily step away from the desk.

Laura: (Angrily) What did you do that for?

Lily: I’m sorry. This is embarrassing. We’ve lost our turkey. And anyway this turkey on the news might not even be the turkey we’re looking for.

Laura: You can’t tell me what to do. Nothing’s going to stop me from talking to that woman. Not even my sister who still watches Peppa Pig!!!

Lily: (Checking that nobody heard) Shhhh!

Laura: I don’t even care if I have to ditch you to get our turkey back. And quite frankly I’d love to ditch you right now.

Laura: I think we’re here.

News Presenter: Oh, and we’re now joined by our guests.

Lily: What’s happening?

Laura: I’m Laura, and this is my sister Lily. We’re here to talk about this missing turkey.

News Presenter: That’s right, and we’re live on air.

Lily: (Looking into the cameras and waving) On the TV?

Laura storms back to the Lady at the front desk.

News Presenter: Now, what can you tell us about the missing turkey?

Sorry about that. My sister is quite annoying at times.

I wanted to speak to your news reporters.

Laura: Well, we think we’re the owners of the missing turkey.

Lady at the front desk: Look, I can’t help you, and I’ve got stuff to do.

Lily: But we might not be!

Laura: Like what?

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The news studio. Live on air. Laura and Lily wander in front of the cameras and can be seen live on the television.

Laura: (Annoyed at her sister) And this is my sister Lily.

She likes Peppa Pig!

Lady at the front desk: Like picking Christmas outfits for my pugs.

Lily: (Embarrassed) OMG!

Laura: What a weirdo! Look, I’m going through whether you let me or not.

News Presenter: There it is!

Everybody can hear a gobbling turkey noise.

Lily: Erm… we should leave.

The News Presenter traps the turkey in a box and chases it around the room.

Laura: Shut up, I’m dealing with this.

Laura: Is it our turkey?

Lily: It was definitely ours. Let’s help her.

SCENE SIX

News Presenter: I can’t believe this is happening live on air. I knew we should have gone with the story about the flying dog.

Lily and Laura arrive home, with their turkey in the box.

The turkey is very energetic in the box.

Laura: Let’s get it.

Mum: Girls! Where have you been?

Lily: I’ve got it.

Lily: (Hoping to surprise their Mum) We’ve found something for you, Mum.

They jump on the box to stop the turkey.

Laura: (Yelling) Muuummm! We’re home.

News Presenter: This is very embarrassing. We’ll cut to a commercial break there.

Mum: For me? Ooh, is it earrings?

Laura: How did the turkey get here?

Mum: Ooh, a new car?

News Presenter: (Guiltily) I have no idea!

Lily: You really have no idea, Mum?

Lily: I know! The news is always boring, so they stole it to come up with an exciting story about a turkey on the loose.

Mum: What is it?

Laura: I bet you’re right.

News Presenter: (She’s been caught out) Get out of here!

Laura: No!

Laura: Have a look. Open the box.

Mum slowly opens the box, and puts her head inside.

The energetic turkey jumps on Mum’s head and she runs around the room. Laura and Lily run after her trying to get the turkey off Mum’s head.

Lily: (Sassily) Don’t worry, we’re going. And we’ll be taking our stolen turkey with us too!

Lily and Laura sassily leave the studio.

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THANK YOU To the many donors and funders whose generosity has helped us to deliver Primary Playmaker to over 2,600 young people over the last 10 years. Your support for the scheme, and confidence in the work that we do, has been invaluable. Every contribution, from the largest grant to the smallest donation, has made such a difference in helping this project to thrive.

We are grateful to our core funders and corporate supporters:

And other recent funders: The Atlas Fund, Backstage Trust, The Beeching Trust, The Bouttell Bequest, Debbie Dance, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, Sos Eltis, The Emmanuel Kaye Foundation, The Doris Field Charitable Trust, The Lord Faringdon Charitable Trust, The Hugh Fraser Foundation, Richard Gladstone, Mactaggart Third Fund, Joe Pillman, Mr and Mrs J A Pye’s Charitable Settlement, The Schuster Charitable Trust, Souldern Trust, Still Point Fund, The Thompson Family Charitable Trust, Anonymous (but greatly appreciated).

This year, we are grateful to St John’s College, Oxford for their support of a pilot project called Open House for Schools which has allowed so many young people to take part in our anniversary Primary Playmaker year and see live theatre on our stage.

Thank you all. We could not have done this without you.

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ABOUT OXFORD PLAYHOUSE Oxford Playhouse is one of the country’s leading regional theatres. The only not-forprofit mid-scale venue in Oxfordshire, The Playhouse is at the heart of cultural life in the city and region, with a wonderfully rich heritage of live performance, drama, dance, music and comedy. It also produces mid-scale and studio productions, including a hugely popular pantomime which plays to audiences of around 40,000 each year.

As well as being a home for inspirational performance, The Playhouse is an active charity with artistic, social and educational aims. Through its Open House programme, a dynamic and wideranging outreach project, The Playhouse breaks down barriers to attendance and creative learning for thousands of people every year. It works closely with schools across the county to support literacy learning, distributes 2,500 free tickets to those who couldn’t otherwise attend, and works with partners including Age UK and the NHS to deliver inclusive programmes for older people.

Recent co-productions and regional tours include: Blue/Orange, Persuasion, Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead, Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), which transferred to the West End and won an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play. A new co-production of Breaking the Code by Hugh Whitemore will be performed in October 2025.

The Playhouse is immensely grateful to all those who support the venue, including its core funders Arts Council England, University of Oxford and St John’s College, and Oxford City Council, as well as its corporate sponsors, OxLEP, and many charitable trusts, foundations and individuals. This support helps continue the theatre’s work of presenting and producing world-class theatre on our stages; offering inspiring creative opportunities to young people and the next generation of artists; and enriching people’s lives and communities through the arts.

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EXECUTIVE TEAM Artistic Director & CEO Mike Tweddle Executive Director Marianne Jacques DEVELOPMENT TEAM Development Manager Sue Sternberg Deputy Development Manager Elspeth Brodie-Browne Administration Volunteer Richard Gladstone FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION TEAM Head of Finance Jasmine Liu Finance Officer Emma Lyons Administrator Jane Hornsby Project Officer Amanda Gibson HR Officer Nick Davies PROGRAMMING TEAM Director of Programming & Creative Partnerships Katy Snelling Artistic Coordinator Dee Millard

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MARKETING & SALES TEAM Head of Marketing Russell Souch Marketing Manager Jess Cowley Data & Systems Manager Luke McConkey Press Officer Tom Legg Marketing Officer Susie Dane Box Office Manager Jade Sharp Assistant Box Officer Manager & Tickets Oxford Agency George Sawer Box Office Assistants Robbie Thielker, Sue Jowett, Gavin Moore, Emelia Hutchinson, Louis Fox, Pia Saunders-Patel, Michael Deacon, Cayla Edwards, Daisy Fletcher, Edith Kyewalyanga PARTICIPATION & ARTIST DEVELOPMENT TEAM Head of Participation & Artist Development Paul Simpson Community Programme Manager Beth Sedgwick Participation & Learning Officer Alice Jessop Participation & Artist Development Coordinator Caitlin Kirby MCS Resident Director Ben Newman MCS Resident Producer Leah O’Grady

OPERATIONS & FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM Director of Operations Richard Willoughby Deputy Front of House Manager Michael Bethell Duty Manager/Volunteer Coordinator Rachel Joubert Duty Manager Poppy Cooper Assistant Duty Managers Fiona Chavner, Hetty Bentley, Patrick Lake Stage Door Keepers Nathaniel Miles, Shona Nicholson, Reece Cook Catering Supervisor Julia Nash Maintenance Technician Jonny Bell Bar Staff Anne Bindon, Leila Stringer, Devon Tyrrell, Donald McEwan, Graham Hooper, Jack McEwan, Jay Henderson-Gibb, Immy Howard, Lizzie McHale, Lucy Riddell, Misty Lola Branch, Noah Coleman, Oliver Wivell, Pete Thompson, Simon Evans, Lewis White

BURTON TAYLOR STUDIO Studio Manager Robert Bristow TECHNICAL TEAM Technical Director & Head of Production Ashley Bale Technical/Workshop Manager James Thearle Chief Electrician Will Hayman Head of Stage Jacky Baker Deputy Chief Electrician Augustine Van Spyk Resident Stage Manager Tang Jackson Assistant Stage Manager Jonny Kruip Head of Wardrobe Immy Howard Stage Technician Jo Rich

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WORDSEARCH SOLUTION Q W X O A S Q Y E P K T R U A C T O R Y L P L O T U E Y D A A H G M Y Y C Q D O M K V Y K X X C C R Z E U U J P G H J G G Z P R E K X D R T R M X T X F X W J V Q L G C E Z L G P J P E T F T E F T X I A V V T X K N T K B O I O I W C H O L Z Y T Y S G B A G P I P I R I D G P T S A S D H C R I C M P J D R P C I V Z Y V T Z N C E U S F V Y A V Q E R S E H Y U Y X P X N N T Y O J A O G W T O E U G F G E H E E R N X O D V L Y F X C W R Y W N M F D B J O C H K A A P I W A A D A O P H S U U L Y T V S L S T A G E X R T V D K D X R L J S C P T W V X U G G R A W P V E T F K E A Q E R E H E A R S A L H K X H Z X M B S T O R Y T E L L I N G Z C G A V I F R J F A B I D D B L Q G Z Q Q S I M J C J F H T A V D N Q Y Y D T E D J B K Z Y J K T F X A E L X Q L F N S B K H A U D I E N C E C N K S K M Y P J I

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