The Story-hansel n Gretel

8/19/2019 The Story-hansel n Gretel

1/22

THE STORY – HANSEL AND GRETEL

At the edge of a forest, Hansel and Gretel live with their father, a woodcutter and

stepmother. Their stepmother doesn’t like children and especially doesn’t like Hansel and

Gretel. There is a great famine. There is no food anywhere. The stepmother tells her

husband to abandon the children in the forest, there is not enough food for all four of them.

Gretel overhears them speaking. While her stepmother and father are sleeping, she goes

outside and collects some stones. The net day, when their father takes them out into the

forest, Gretel drops the stones behind her as they walk. !eft alone in the forest Hansel and

Gretel wait for night then follow the stones home. Their father is happy to see them, but not

their stepmother. "he tells her husband to lose them in the forest again. Again, Gretel

overhears their conversation. "he goes to collect more stones but this time the door is

locked. The net day, their father takes them out into the forest. Gretel has no stones tomake a trail. The only thing she has is a packet of biscuits her stepmother gave them to eat.

"o, Gretel uses the biscuits to make a trail of crumbs. While Hansel and Gretel wait for the

moon to rise an owl eats the crumbs. Without a trail to follow home, they are lost in the

forest. They collapse ehausted. When they awake they discover a house made of

chocolate and candies. Hungry, they start to eat. The house belongs to a witch who invites

them in with promises of more wonderful treats. #nce inside, the Witch locks Hansel in a

cage and forces Gretel to do all the housework. "he plans to eat Hansel. "he feeds Hansel

a lot of food. The fatter he is, the more food for her. $very day she asks to feel Hansel’s

finger to see how fat he is becoming. %nstead of his finger, Hansel gives her a bone and the

witch is tricked into believing that Hansel isn&t fat at all. 'ntil one day she decides to eat

Hansel no matter his si(e. "he tells Gretel to prepare the fire. Gretel pretends she doesn’t

know what to do. The witch climbs into the oven and lights the fire herself. Gretel pushes the

witch all the way in and closes the door. Gretel frees her brother and they escape, but not

before filling their pockets with the witches gold that Gretel had found. Through good fortune

they find their way home where their father is waiting for them. Their stepmother had died of

an unknown cause. The woodcutter and Hansel and Gretel live happily ever after.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY

The tale of two courageous children who together outsmart their stepmother, overcome their

fear of wild animals and deep dark forests to battle a witch, to find their way back home.


2/22

CHARACTER INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES

There are ) main characters in Hansel and Gretel*

THE WOODCUTTER

He loves his children but he is weak and often bullied by his new wife, he can’t say no to her.

He earns money by cutting down trees and making things out of wood. +ight now he doesn’t

have any work, he is looking for a ob.

THE STEPMOTHER

A selfish woman who doesn’t like children, especially Hansel and Gretel. "he thinks children

are disgusting and smell.

HANSEL

A simple boy who is na-ve and pessimistic. He loves his sister and is glad she is there to

take care of things when situations get tough.

GRETEL

Always happy to take control of a difficult situation, Gretel is optimistic and fearless.

HA"$! / G+$T$! are brother and sister. When they are together they are a pair. 0etween

them they have double the courage, double the strength, double the fun and double the

trouble1

THE WITCH

A charming but sinister woman who likes to eat children for dinner.

CASTING

#ne of the great things about theatre is that we can play as many characters as we’d like all

in one play 2 one actor can play many roles, or one role can be played by many actors. %nour play the woodcutter is played by two actors. #ne actor plays an owl, the stepmother, a

narrator, the witch and the woodcutter. Another actor plays Hansel, the woodcutter and a

narrator. And another actor plays Gretel and a narrator.


3/22

+$A3$+

HA"$!

G+$T$!

"T$45#5

6ATH$+

W%T7H

$!689 0ossy

$!6:2 "melly

$!6;2 Twitchy

$!62"$$?@9Actions but no lines

6A%+@ 3#G 5#TH$+

6A%+@ 6+#G 5#TH$+

(PROPS: Big pot, potato & carrot, hanky for Sneezy. Dog’s &

Frog’s wans optiona!."

----------------------------------------------------------

READER: Once upon a time, a long long time ago, there lived a

brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel.

HANE!: "#m Hansel.

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%

HANE!: &e#re Hansel and Gretel%

READER: 'es, (ust as " said. $he) lived in a cottage in the *oods

*ith..

HANE!: "#m Hansel.

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%


4/22

READER: Enough% $he) lived in a cottage in the *oods *ith their

+ather *ho loved them ver) much, and their stepmother *ho had

her sanit) to consider.

$EO : Husband% 'our children are driving me cra). "#m

Hansel% "#m Gretel% $a/e them into the *oods and leave them%

0A$HER : 1ut the)#ll get hungr).

$EO : Don#t *orr). A nice *itch *ill +eed them gingerbread.

0A$HER : Oh. $he) li/e gingerbread. O2% 3ome on /ids%

READER: o the stereot)picall) clueless +ather too/ Hansel and

Gretel +ar +ar a*a) and le+t them. Ho*ever, he made one mista/e.

"nstead o+ ta/ing them out into the &OOD...

GRE$E!: &h) did Dadd) leave us in the *eeds4

HANE!: O*% "t#s all stic/er).

READER: Hansel and Gretel stood around in the pric/l) stic/l)

*eeds *aiting +or their +ather.

GRE$E!: O*%

HANE!: O*%

GRE$E!: O*%

HANE!: O*%

READER: 0inall), Gretel realied he *as not coming bac/.


5/22

GRE$E!: Dadd) is not coming bac/% Ho* *ill *e 5nd our *a) bac/

to our house4

HANE!: !oo/, it#s right over there. 'ou can see it%

READER: o the) *al/ed home and (umped on the couch and got

stic/ers all over it.

(#$%P'" HANE!: "#m Hansel% Hansel% Hansel%

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel% Gretel% Gretel%

HANE! 6 GRE$E!: &e#re Hansel% Hansel% Hansel% and Gretel%

Gretel% Gretel%%

READER: $heir stepmother heard the noise and came out to see.

$EO: Ohhhh, the)#re bac/.

READER: $heir stepmother had a splitting headache *hen she

called her husband.

$EO : H71AND%

0A$HER: 'es, dear4

READER: he told him *here to ta/e those nois) children.


6/22

$EO : $a/e those nois) children over the hill and deep into

the +orest and leave them%

0A$HER : 1ut the)#ll get hungr).

$EO : Don#t *orr). even little d*arves *ill +eed them.

0A$HER : Oh. $he)#d li/e that. O2% 3ome on, /ids%

(S)*P%O)+*R *)S.

F-)+*R !eas +& throgh the aience./$R)-' /0OS*S 1 change set."

READER: o their +ather too/ them ooooooooover the hill ... and

through t*isted, scar) trees.. past the dens o+ hideous, smell),

unsupervised creatures, *ho *atched them as the)

passed (chi!ren !ook at aience fearf!!y"..... to a clearing. $heir

+ather patted them on the head, and gave them some *ords o+

*isdom.

0A$HER: a) hello to nee) +or me. 1)e /ids% (*)S"

READER: $heir +ather headed home *ishing HE *as going to have

gingerbread +or brea/+ast.

0A$HER: mmm... gingerbread.

READER: Hansel and Gretel stood around as the +orest got dar/er

and dar/er.


7/22

HANE!: "#m Hansel.

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel.

(pase"

READER: Night +ell. "t *as cold and dar/. $he children had to sleep

on the ground. $he cric/ets chirped. (*!2es 3ake son F." $he

o*ls hooted. $he moon came out. $he *olves ho*led. 0inall) it

*as morning. Gretel shoo/ Hansel a*a/e.

GRE$E!: Hansel, it#s morning.

HANE!: "#m hungr). &hat#s +or brea/+ast4

&"$3H (entering" : 'ou are% Heee Heee Hee Hee% Oh, " mean )ou

delicious, " mean darling, children are HA8"NG brea/+ast *ith me%

READER: Hansel and Gretel introduced themselves.

HANE!: Hi% "#m Hansel.

GRE$E!: Hi% "#m Gretel%

HANE! 6 GRE$E!: &e#re Hansel and Gretel%

&"$3H : And "#m a nice old lad). ) house is over here... through

those trees....

HANE!: "#m Hansel.

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%


8/22

&"$3H : Enough% &al/ this *a)...

(4)/+ wa!ks 5ent o2er6 +-'S*0 & R*)*0 wa!k !ike her to her

7hose8 5ack at center stage."

READER: $he nice old lad) *as reall) a *ic/ed *itch *ho li/ed to

eat children. he too/ them into her house. Gretel loo/ed around.

GRE$E!: " thought )ou *ould have a gingerbread house.

&"$3H : Oh, the propert) ta9es on that thing *ere /illing me%

READER: Hansel *as getting hungrier so he as/ed again:

HANE!: &hat#s +or brea/+ast4

&"$3H : omething delicious, but 5rst )ou must *ash up.

READER: $he *itch invited them to hop into a big pot o+ hot *ater.

he said:

&"$3H : crub a dub a dub, into the tub%

GRE$E!: &h) are there carrots and potatoes and celer)...

HANE!: oating in the bathtub4

&"$3H : Oh, hee hee hee hee. $hose are bath to)s%

READER: o Hansel and Gretel, *ho never *ere the brightest

candles on the ca/e, hopped into the pot.


9/22

(+-'S*0 & R*)*0 c!i35 in, staning, scr55ing potatoes ner

ar3s !ike soap":

HANE! (singing": Rubber duc/), )ou;re the one.

GRE$E!:


10/22

GRE$E!: &hat are )ou sprin/ling on us4

&"$3H : ?ust some bath salts. Hee hee hee...

GRE$E!: Oh% (Sp!ash sp!ash sp!ash"

READER: $here *as a /noc/ at the door.

&"$3H : &ho#s there4(*!2es 3arch in singing a 3arching chant."

E!0 @: " don#t /no* but "#ve been told%

E!8E: !eprechauns got pots o+ gold.

E!0 @: 1ut do not grab one b) the leg.

E!8E: $heir +eet smell li/e rotten egg%

E!0 @: One, t*o and three, +our%

E!8E: Guess *ho#s /noc/ing at the door%

E!0 @: 0ive, si9 and seven, eight%

E!8E: D*arves don#t li/e their supper late%

E!0 @: ound o

E!8E: One t*o%

E!0 @: ound o

E!8E: $hree 0our

E!0 @: ound o

E!8E: 0ive i9 - - even D*arves%

(*!f 9 stops, & ; stops, < crashes into the3, re5ons 5ack an

a!! fa!!. *!f 9 =3ps p."

E!0 @: Attention% (*!2es =3p to attention."


11/22

leased to meet )ou% "#m 1oss)%

E!0 >: "#m mell).

E!0 B: "#m $*itch).

E!0 C: "#m 3lums).

E!0 : "#m Narcolep...(nos o>"...t).

E!0 : "#m &hin).

E!0 F: "#m.. "#m... "#m... Aaaachoo%

(Sneezes on other war2es who fa!!."

E!0 @: And he#s E!8E: NEE'%%%

( *!2es =3p p."

E!0 @: &e#re here to *ish )ou a good da)%

E!0 >: &e live in a cottage do*n the *a).

E!0 B: &e *ere (ust passing b) *hen *e came under the spell,

E!0 C: O+ a most delicious, be*itching smell.

E!0 : O+ cinnamon, 5ngers and margarine,

E!0 : o i+ )ou don#t mind, ma) *e come in4

&"$3H : 'ou are in%

READER: Hansel (umped up and hollered.

HANE!: He)% nee)%

NEE': Aaaachoo% (4ipes nose with hanky an wa2es it."

HANE!: ) dad sa)s hi%


12/22

READER: $he seven d*arves *ere real moochers%

(*0?*S search front row of aience."

$he) started scrounging around +or something to eat. $he) hadn#t

had a hot meal since no* &hite married the Handsome rince

and moved a*a). 1ut all the) +ound *ere hideous gargo)les%

A!! E!8E (face to face with aience": EEEEE2% (*0?*S rn 5ack

to stage."

READER: $hat caused some con+usion. And instead o+ 5nding +oodthe) +ound:

E!0 @: pider legs in the cupboard%

E!0 >: 0rog tongues in the re+rigerator%

E!0 B: on/e) ears in the toaster%

E!0 C: Rabbit teeth in the cand) dish%

E!0 : Hissing coc/roaches in the coo/ie (ar%

E!0 : ugarless cand) corn%

A!! E!8E: ugarless cand) corn444 1lecch%

E!0 @: &h) do people bu) that stu4

READER: 1ut the d*arves /ne* the) smelled something good.

$he) +ollo*ed their noses until the) +ound...

(*0?*S go to 5oth sies of pot. DO 'O) 5!ock the aience@s 2iew

of +anse! & rete!A "

E!0 @: A big pot o+ soup%


13/22

HANE! 6 GRE$E!: oup4 &here4 "#m hungr)%

A!! E!8E: 3hildren oup%

HANE! 6 GRE$E!: Eeeeee/%

READER: $he d*arves tried to rescue the children. 7n+ortunatel)

the) *eren#t ver) organied.

(Dwar2es preten to p!! on 5oth ar3s of chi!ren, !eft, right, !eft,

right."

READER: 1ut the) onl) made it *orse. $he d*arves )elled +or the

children to get out%

E!0 >: Get out o+ that soup pot%

E!0 B: $hat *itch *ants to coo/ and eat )ou%

READER: 1ut the children had been in the hot *ater too long.

GRE$E! (wiping 5row": "#m melting.....

HANE!: e tooooo....

(+-'S*0 & R*)*0 faint o2er ege of pot"

READER: Hansel and Gretel +ainted in the hot *ater% And it *as

getting hotter% $he d*arves tried to li+t them out.

E!0 @: @, >, B, !i+t%


14/22

READER: 1ut the *itched apped her arms and )elled:

&"$3H : top that right no*%

READER: $he leader o+ the Elves *as ver) brave%

E!0 @ (in her face": !et them go )ou mean ol# *itch%

&"$3H : 'O7 let them go or "#ll turn )ou all into d*ar+ hamsters.

HANE!: D*ar+ hamsters are so cute.......

&"$3H : 1ite-sie d*ar+ hamsters. 'um.

A!! E!8E (=3ping 5ack": Eeee/%

READER: $he Elves let go% $he) *ere a+raid to be turned into

hamsters. $heir leader had an idea. he told Gretel:

E!0 @: Gretel% 3all on )our 0air) Godmother%

A!! E!8E: Gretel% Gretel% &a/e-up%

E!0 @: Gretel% 3all on )our +air) Godmother%

A!! E!8E: Gretel% Gretel% &a/e-up%

GRE$E! (groggy":3alling 0air) Dog other...


15/22

READER: "n a blinding ash o+ light there appeared:

DOG (!eaping onto stage": &oo+%

E!0 @: &hat are )ou4

DOG: Gretel#s 0air) Dog other%

E!0 @: No No% Gretel% 3all on )our 0air) GOD O$HER%

GRE$E!: 3alling 0air) 0rog other....

READER: And *ith another blinding ash o+ light:

0ROG (!eaping onto stage": 2ribbit%

E!0 @: &hat are )ou4

0ROG: Gretel#s 0air) 0rog other%

E!0 @: No No% Gretel% 3all on )our 0air) GOD O$HER%

GRE$E!: nore%

READER: Gretel#s snoring shoo/ the house%

E!0 C: he#s asleep%

E!0 : he can#t call an)one%


16/22

E!0 C: Ho* about Hansel4 3ould HE call H" 0air) God other4

E!0 : He *ould probabl) call his 0air) Hamster other%

A!! E!8E (noing": 'eah....

READER (wa!king across stage gestring": $his loo/s bad% Hansel

and Gretel are almost grav) and instead o+ a +air) godmother, *e

have a 0air) Dog other...

DOG: &oo+%

READER: ... and a 0air) 0rog other%

0ROG: 2ribbit%

READER: "t loo/s li/e there *ill be no happ) ending to this stor).

$he elves burst into tears.

A!! E!8E: 1oo-hoo-hoo-hoo%

E!0 : $his is terrible, terrible, terrible%

READER: $he 0air) Dog and 0air) 0rog others loo/ed at each

other.

0ROG : &ell this is a prett) mess%


17/22

DOG: 'ou said it, &onder &arts. " guess it#s up to us.

0ROG: Right )ou are, agical utt. Do )ou /no* *hat to do4

DOG: ure do. !et#s roll% (DO & FRO ro!! on oor, then =3p

p."

READER: $he 0air) Dog other cast a spell on the &ic/ed &itch

giving her eas and allergies.

DOG (wa2ing paws": 0leeus-neeus% (shakes"

&"$3H : Ha ha% Dog magic4 (sarcastic" Oh, "#m sooo a+raid% Ha ha

ha%. oI soI soI "tch)% "tch)% "tch)% Aaachoo% Aaachoo%

(S'**C hans a hanky to the 4itch who 5!ows a rasp5erry into it

an tries to han it 5ack."

NEE': 'uc/% ( S'**C =3ps 5ack in isgst an the 4itch

rops it on the oor."

READER: $he 0air) 0rog other hopped over to the pot and said

these magic *ords:

0ROG: Hoppus loppus toppus%

READER: he hopped into the pot splashing Hansel and Gretel out

in a huge tidal *ave%


18/22

(FRO =3ps in E +-'S*0 & R*)*0 so3ersa!t1ro!! hea rst

ot. *0?*S fa!! own in the tia! wa2e."

JNO$E: Hansel 6 Gretel should be crouched *ith their +eet at on

the oor in the pot so the) can (ust push o *ith their +eet and

head-5rst roll out. ractice%K

READER: $he d*arves cheered%

A!! E!8E: 'a)% @, >, B --

Go 0air) 0rog% 2ribbit 2ribbit 2ribbit%Go 0air) Dog% &oo+ &oo+ &oo+%

READER: $he &ic/ed &itch ran o to (ump in the river to dro*n

her eas....

&"$3H: Oh, "#m so itch) itch) itch)... (*)"

READER: and Hansel and Gretel recovered +rom their soup

induced heat stro/e. $he) introduced themselves to the d*arves.

HANE!: Hi% "#m Hansel.

GRE$E!: Hi% "#m Gretel%


E!0 @ : Hi% &e#re the seven d*arves.

E!0 >: 'ou might have heard o+ us in the stor) o+ no* &hite.

E!0 B: Once upon a time a long time ago...

HANE!: "#m Hansel.


19/22

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%


E!0 @, > 6 B : Enough%

READER: $he Elves sho*ed Hansel and Gretel the *a) home.

()ra2e! into aience or aron stage."

HANE!: "#m Hansel.

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%HANE! 6 GRE$E!: &e#re Hansel and Gretel% (on an on an on"

(*0?*S ha2e hans o2er ears an 3oaning."

READER: $he Elves couldn#t get rid o+ Hansel and Gretel +ast

enough.

(o to +o3e area. *ach *!f pases to speak."

E!0 @: O2% Here is )our house% Good b)e%

E!0 >: &hat an ordeal%

E!0 B: " thought the) *ould never stop )a//ing%

E!0 C: $he) never did%

E!0 : ) ears are /illing me%

E!0 : ) ears are bigger than )ours so mine are /illing me

more%

NEE' : Aaachoo% (searches pocket for hanky 5t can’t n it so


20/22

5!ows rasp5erry on 5ack of *!f G’s shirt."

E!0 : He)% &hat#s going on bac/ there%

(*0?*S *) or knee! at front of aience."

READER: Hansel *as sad to see them go:

HANE!: 1)e, nee)% 'ou are m) +avorite%

READER: &hen their +ather came out the door, he *as ver) happ)to see them

(-00 hg." and ver) sorr) he had le+t them in the +orest. He called

to his *i+e:

0A$HER: Hone), the /ids are home%

$EO (*')*R'" : Oh, no%

HANE! (a2ancing on her": Remember us4 "#m Hansel%

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%


HANE!: "#m Hansel%

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%

HANE! 6 GRE$E!: &e#re Hansel--

0A$HER : Enough% top sa)ing the same thing over and over. 'ou

are driving us cra)% (to aience" " never noticed until the) came

bac/.

GRE$E!: O/, Dadd)% &ould )ou li/e to tal/ about biolog),


21/22

instead4

HANE!: Or architecture4

$EO : Oh, " love biolog) and architecture% !et#s go do*n to

the pond and catch +rogs and build sandcastles%

(S)*P%O%, +-'S*0 & R*)*0, go to sie, panto3i3e."

GRE$E!: "#m ma/ing a princess castle.$EO: $he arch*a) is ver) grace+ul.

HANE!: "#m ma/ing m) dungeon 5rst.

$EO: "t is ver) deep. 'ou are doing a good (ob.

READER: And then a magical thing happened. &hen the

)ammering stopped, their stepmother magicall) turned into a

loving caring person. "t *as magic.

0A$HER: No.... " don#t thin/ that *as magic.

READER (!ifts ar3": And the) all lived...

(-/)ORS rn onstage. Reaer ces the3:"

(R*-D*R rops ar3:"

A!!: ..Happil) ever a+ter%

HANE!: "#m Hansel%


22/22

GRE$E!: "#m Gretel%


A!!: Enough%%%% $he End%

-------------------------------

Author#s Notes: Hansel and Gretel sa) L"#m Hansel. "#m Gretel....

on and on until someone sa)s LEnough%M

"+ actors +orget lines, Reader can prompt them b) sa)ing, +ore9ample: LHansel said, LRemember us4..M Reader prompts them

as i+ it *as *ritten in the stor) (ust the beginning o+ the line is

usuall) enough -- and as soon as the actor catches on and sa)s

their line, the Reader is =uiet.

&hen 0ather ta/es Hansel and Gretel into the &oods, he can ta/e

them out into the audience.

1ig ot need not be a pot. 3an be painted 6 cut cardboard

mounted on a stand or onto a big cardboard bo9.

7sing real potato and carrot is easiest. $he potato *ill serve da)

a+ter da), but carrots *ilt b) ne9t da) i+ not re+rigerated.

The Story-hansel n Gretel

Documents

Transcript of The Story-hansel n Gretel