Gaynor's plays include The Tomb of Amunis, Becky in Beatleland The Amazing Thingamajig, which have both been successfully performed several times over the last few years by Year 5 and 6 children. Below, you can see some of the scenery and props from both plays.
The Tomb of Amunis
The Tomb of Amunis was last performed in 2004, so it was great to see it performed again by Year 6 pupils at Saltwood School. The Kentish Express reported that "the pupils put on an entertaining show for staff and parents." To read the full report by the Kentish Express, click here.
To hear a couple of songs from The Tomb of Amunis click here.
Synopsis
Sebastian Ponsonby Carter-Smythe and his friends, assisted by gentleman's gentleman Jeeves, travel to Cairo on an expedition to discover Ancient Egyptian treasure after reading about Howard Carter and Tutankhamun. They are directed to the cursed Tomb of Amunis by entrepreneur Mustapha, who is the
proprietor of Rick's Bar in Cairo. (not Casablanca!)
In the tomb, the adventurers meet the High Priestess and her retinue, along with Anubis, Thoth and the Devourer who are conducting the ancient heart weighing ceremony in the underworld. Can Jeeves save the day?
Here is a short extract from The Tomb of Amunis:
Priestess: (Rising from tomb) The dead have come.
Sebastian: Dead? If you don’t mind me asking. Who the devil are you?
Priestess: The devil? What is that? I am Amunis. The High Priestess of Osiris. This is the gateway to the Underworld. You must be dead.
Lady Amelia: (pinching herself) I’m certainly not dead. How dare you!
Cordelia:/ Dorothea: We’re not dead either!
Anubis: I must have your hearts to weigh, but I can only weigh them one at a time.
Thoth: Yes, I must write down the results, but there are too many of you.
Devourer: Roar! Maybe this time I will get some food. Someone must fail the test!
Anthony: Look, we’re not dead, just exploring.
Anubis: Now you are here, you will have to be dead.
Cordelia: No, we won’t!
Thoth: Seize them.
(Scarab guards pursue them)
Becky in Beatleland
This play has also been performed twice by different schools and was thoroughly enjoyed by both the pupils and the audience.
Synopsis:
Becky falls asleep in a History lesson when she is studying the 1960s. She wakes up surrounded by children with silver hammers, telling the story of Maxwell. Becky finds that she is in Beatleland and is taken on a tour by Sergeant Pepper, visiting places which include Penny Lane and the Yellow Submarine. She meets numerous characters, Rita Meter Maid, Lucy and Eleanor Rigby - not to mention the Fab Four themselves! The frenchman Maurice is often encountered, searching for his 'Michelle'.
Join Becky on her amazing visit and meet all the friends in Beatleland.
Here is a short extract from Becky in Beatleland:
Arabella: You've given me a ticket! I only parked in front of the bank in Penny Lane for a minute.
Rita: Well, you can't park there. Didn't you see the double yellow lines?
Arabella: Some people! Give them a uniform and they go power crazy.
Maurice: Michelle? (approaches a girl in uniform) Are you called Michelle by any chance?
Rita: My name's Rita. Do you own a bicycle? Because it's parked by my meter and the time's run out. I'll have to give you a ticket.
Maurice: I am so sorry. I will move it. (goes off stage)
Quel dommage! She is not called Michelle, but she does have a smart uniform.
Rita: (Rita then turns to the bus driver) You can't stop that bus here. This is not a bus stop.
Driver: I can stop wherever I like, just you see!
Conductor: Hurry along there, please. We can't stop here for long. Captain's house!
Sergeant Pepper: This is our stop.
The Amazing Thingamajig is set in Victorian Britain, as the inventor Herbert Booth prepares for the Great Exhibition. The actual thingamajig could be made as a prop using the childrens' imagination or could be acted with the children themselves being the machine and moving as its components.
The Amazing Thingamajig
Narrator: The year is 1850. It is the reign of Queen Victoria and Great Britain is leading the world in the Industrial Revolution. Factories are busy making goods. First canals and then railways cross the country to provide transport.
Inventor (Herbert Booth): Well, that should do it. Now the plunger is connected to the outer phalange and the second lever pulls the line that turns the cogs in the flitting wheel.
Sid: (Turns to audience and shrugs his shoulders) I’m afraid I’ve given up trying to understand, Sir, but I’m still not sure what it’s for. What exactly does it do?
Herbert: Do? Do? Well, I was just explaining, the line connected to the second lever turns the cogs in the flitting wheel.
Sid: I do beg your pardon, for my ignorance Sir, but I’m still not sure what it actually does.
Fred: What are you going to call it Sir?
Herbert: Well, it’s hard to think of a name which really sums it up.
Sid: I’ve been calling it the Thingamajig, but of course…
Fred: (standing back and considering it carefully) Yes, it really does look like a thingamajig to me.
Herbert: (thoughtfully) I like that. (with excitement). That’s it, that’s it! The Amazing Thingamajig.
Fred: Yes, but, what’s it for?
Herbert: (twiddling the knobs on the machine) I really haven’t got time to explain it all now. Sid, I need some more rope for the pulley, go to the storeroom. Fred, you’d better go with him, it is heavy.
(Exit Fred and Sid)
21st century Noah
LIZ: Have you heard the news?MRS NOAH: What news?
JESSICA: We are going to have floods. Everywhere is going to be under water. At least 10 feet deep.
LETTICIA: What! I can’t swim. We’ll all die! What can we do? This is the end! LIZ: It’s all right, I’ve got my 25 metres award for swimming. I knew it would come in useful. MUM: I’m sure it will be very useful, Elizabeth. NOAH: I thought something like this was going to happen. The other night I had a strange dream.
MRS NOAH: Yes Dear, but you’re always having strange dreams. NOAH: Ah, you may say that but this is different. It was a message from God. People are ruining the planet. They are caught up in wars and their own selfish greed. We are on the Earth to care for each other and look after the world around us. The flood is God’s way of wiping the slate clean and starting all over again. He wants to save a few of us who will live better lives. It is an amazing idea; we are going to build a huge boat and stay in it until the floods are gone. LETICIA: You’re mad, you can’t be serious? What a ridiculous suggestion. LIZ: I wouldn’t know where to start. JESSICA: The floods are coming next week. You’ll never do it in time.
© Gaynor Cobb