Childrens theatre - fairytale

Once upon a time there was a lonely widow and her son Jack. Jack was a young boy who spent his days playing imaginary games and thinking about how life would be if he had all the money in the world.

On a crisp, cold November morning the widow went up to jack whilst he was cleaning out the cow pen in the old broken wooden barn and told him that they needed to sell her in order to get some money for food. Jacks face fell and he looked to the ground where dirt and stray pieces of hay were laying. He shuffled his feet looked back into his mother’s eyes and nodded with a sad smile. Jacks mother left with a swift glide and the squeak of the door signalled her exit. Jack lent on the cold wooden fence and looked into the warm brown eyes of his fellow companion. He didn’t want to say goodbye but he knew that times were hard already and if they kept her they would get a lot harder. Jack put on his jacket, grabbed some rope that was draped over a wooden beam and tied it round the cows neck. He took one last moment sighing deeply as he did before he left the barn to begin his journey.

The sun was nowhere in sight and the clouds covered it like a blanket of snow. The bitter wind nipped at Jacks skin and ruffled his hair. The only sounds which could be heard were the scuffing of his shoes and the clipperty-clop of the cow’s hooves. As he walked along the dirt track, worn in my carts and horses. He came across an old man. This old man was tall, wore a long thick black coat and had a peculiar smile etched on his face.                                                                                                                                                                                         “Hey young fellow, what are you up to?” The old man asked cheerily bending down slightly.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

“I’m off to sell my cow sir” The old man’s eyes lit up and he reached into his pocket.                                                                                                               

“How would you like to sell her for these five beans?” Jack frowned at what he saw in the man’s hand and brushed it aside.                                                                                                                                                                           

“No, thank you sir. I best be on my way” Jack slightly pushed past the old man followed by his cow. The old man was a little taken back but kept the smile plain in his face.                                                                                

“These aren’t just any beans my boy. These are…..magic beans” Jack stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder at the old man.                                                                                                                                    

“Magic beans? Why should I believe you?” Jack questioned looking at the man suspiciously. The man straightened up.                                                                                                                                                                               “From these beans a giant beanstalk will grow and reach up to the sky. If this does not happen I will give you your cow back” Jack pondered for a moment but gladly took the magic beans.

Jack went home and showed his mother the magic beans. She was beyond furious. She shouted at Jack and in the process threw the so called magic beans out the window and sent Jack to his room. Overnight the beans had begun to sprout and at a pace too.

The next morning Jack woke up and looked out his window at the cool morning sun. Jack was stunned. There in front of him was a giant green beanstalk. Jack tried to see the very top but he couldn’t. Jack became very excited. Once dressed he rushed downstairs, put on his shoes and began to climb the beanstalk.

Once at the top Jack came across a giant castle with a giant door. Jack walked up and knocked. No answer. Instead of waiting or coming back later Jack decided he would slide underneath the door and enter the castle. Jack was mind blown by everything. He was so surprised at how big everything was compared to him. Suddenly the floor began to shake violently and loud thumping started to occur from down the hall. Jack ran for cover underneath a nearby table.                                                                              

“Fee fie fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman” Jack stayed hidden and waited for the giant to move. Jack had never seen something like that in all his life. Once the giant was far enough away Jack crept out of his hiding place and went to leave. That was until he spotted something glinting in the sunlight. Jack moved closing. It was a sack of gold coins. Jacks had a smile which ran from ear to ear. Jack took the gold coins and ran out the castle and down the beanstalk.

Once on the ground Jack showed his mother the golden coins. She was so happy but shocked at the same time.

Jack went up again to the giant castle in the sky to collect more gold coins. Whilst he was searching for coins he came across a goose. He stopped and stared at the goose for a minute until suddenly it laid a golden egg. Jack was astonished. He stood for a moment before deciding that he would take the goose back to his mother so that it could lay them golden eggs every day. Sure enough Jack went down showed his mother the goose that lays golden eggs and again she was surprised.

The next day Jack again climbed up the beanstalk to the castle and entered inside. Jack was quietly creeping when he heard a monstrous snore. The giant was asleep. Jack took this opportunity to explore the castle as he had previously not been able to. As Jack was wondering the halls he could hear the most beautiful music he had ever heard. He followed the melody down the corridors and into a room with dark red curtains and a single round table. On this round table was a golden harp sweetly singing its glorious tunes. Jack was entranced. He graceful glided up to the table, climbed up and stood in front of the harp. Jack could not take his eyes off it as it was playing so wonderfully. He thought to himself that he should take this back for his mother so that they would have beautiful music to listen to. As Jack picked up the harp, the music stopped and it began to scream.                                             

“Help Master! A boy is stealing me!” Suddenly there was a loud thud and quickening footsteps. Jack began to panic and quickly jumped down the table harp in hand. He had no time to wait. Jack ran as fast as he could down the corridors and out the door. The giant however, wasn’t so far behind.

Jack began to furiously scramble down the beanstalk trying to keep hold of the harp and stay away from the giant. Once jack had reached the bottom he put down the harp and ran into the barn. He frantically looked around for anything to help him. He had to get rid of the giant but he didn’t know how. Suddenly in the corner of his eye he spotted an axe hanging on the wall. He ran over picked it up and ran back outside side. He glanced up at the beanstalk to find that the giant was already a third of the way down. Jack used all his strength and hacked at the base of the beanstalk. Swinging and hacking. Hacking and swinging. Until there was an ear-splinting thunderous crack. Jack looked up to see the beanstalk slowly start to sway. Then lean over and fall. There was another thunderous thump which sounded the fall of the beanstalk and the death of the giant. Jack sighed with relief, picked up the harp and went inside to show his mother and to tell her that everything was going to be okay from now on. And they all lived happily ever after.