Babes In The Wood (Bartlett)
John Bartlett
Genre: Pantomime
Cast size: 28 +Chorus
Duration: Two Act
John Bartlett | Pantomime | Full-length | 8m, 9f , 11m/f+ Chorus & Dancers
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
Ebenezer lives a life of poverty in the forest with Tom, his son. The wicked demon gives Tom a magic bag from which can be wished anything they want, so wily old Ebenezer wishes for a handwritten note from the King recalling the Sheriff of Nottingham to London. Next out of the bag is a duplicate chain of office, and hey presto, Ebernezer is the new Sheriff!
Tom meets Marion, the daughter of Sir Basil Sage and Onion (unseen) and they fall in love. Tom though, has to leave his home and move to the castle with the newly, but wrongly, ennobled, Ebenezer.
Dame Droopy (nursemaid to Marion and her brother, Tig) hasn't paid her taxes, so is apprehended by Dim and Dimmer, two guards from Nottingham Castle who tell her to pay up or be evicted from Sir Basil's castle with the two 'babes'.
Tig and Marion are captured by Nail and Plank, two of Robin's less ambitious outlaws, and then Dame Droopy, being followed into the forest by Dim and Dimmer, is captured by Robin Hood himself. To while away the time, Dame Droopy sets up a classroom to teach the outlaws their lessons allowing for a large number of small cameo roles (or combined into a few larger roles) to take part in some quick fire humour.
The demon casts a spell on Ebenezer to make him fall in love with Marion, but Fairy Fluff (who has been protecting everybody right from the start, casts a counter spell which undoes everything the demon has done. Ebenezer (now back as the swineherd) links up with Tom and the castle guards as they meet up with Dame Droopy, Tig, Marion, Robin Hood and the outlaws.
Due to the similarity of names between Marion and Maid Marion, there's a case of mistaken identity between Robin Hood and Tom who each think the other is in love with their Marion. The mistake is soon rectified and soon the sound of wedding bells is in the air. Dame Droopy recognises Ebenezer as her long lost husband and they decide to get back together because, as Ebenezer says "I do miss your dumplings".
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