The Wise Villagers one act play script

ONE ACT PLAYS

THE WISE VILLAGERS
By Ron Nicol

PLOT RESUME
Squire Squibley determines to search for sillier sillies than the woman he’s to marry. He travels to the village of Gotham, where he finds sillies and silliness a-plenty. Based on an English folk tale. Though written with youth groups in mind, the play could be performed by mixed groups of young people and adults.
ISBN 1 904930 49 2

CAST TWO MALE THREE FEMALE NINE MALE/FEMALE

MALE
SQUIRE SQUIBLEY
FARMER GRUMBLE
COWARDY CUSTARD COW
MAN WITH BREECHES
FIVE VILLAGERS
CHORUS OF VILLAGERS/SHEEP FEMALE
GWENDOLYNE GRUMBLE
MISTRESS GRUMBLE
GRANDMAMA GRUMBLE
OLD WOMAN
WISE WOMAN

SET - A village

TIME - anytime
DURATION - approx. 40 minutes

Script Sample - Introductions

The actors enter, putting on various articles of costume, limbering up, doing voice exercises, checking their make-up etc. When ready, those not immediately involved exit, while the Squire and the Gumble family turn to the audience

Squire Once upon a time, when folk weren’t as wise as they are nowadays, there lived a worthy farmer…
Farmer Gumble (bowing) Farmer Gumble.
Squire And his gentle wife…
Mistress Gumble (curtseying) Mistress Gumble.
Squire And their only daughter.
Gwendolyne (curtseying) Gwendolyne Gumble - and (smugly) being a very witty, extremely pretty, and incredibly winsome lass, I’m being courted by handsome young Squire Septimus Algernon d’Arcy Maltravers Squibley when he comes home from his travels.
Squire (bowing) Handsome young rich Squire Septimus Algernon d’Arcy Maltravers Squibley at your service.
Gwendolyne Now, I live with my mother…
Mistress Gumble (curtseying) That’s me. Loving, warm-hearted and devoted to my lovely daughter…
Gwendolyne (curtseying) That’s me.
Mistress Gumble And my dear husband…
Farmer Gumble (curtseying. The others cough) Oops. (He bows) That’s me. Diligent, hard-working, honest as the day is long, and devoted to my loving wife…
Mistress Gumble (curtseying) That’s me.
Farmer Gumble And my lovely daughter…
Gwendolyne (curtseying) That’s me.
Grandmama Can we get on? All this lovey-dovey nonsense makes me sick!

They all turn and glare at Grandmama, then turn back and continue

Squire Now every evening I stroll over from Squibley Hall…
Grandmama Excuse me.

They all turn and glare at Grandmama

All What is it?
Grandmama What about me?
All What do you mean?
Grandmama What do you mean, what do I mean?
All We mean - what do you mean, what about me?
Grandmama I mean, what about me?
All Who are you?
Grandmama That’s what I want to know. Who am I?
Gwendolyne (vaguely) Well, you’re…
Mistress Gumble (vaguely) You’re…
Farmer Gumble (vaguely) You must be…

They gesture vaguely, look at each other, and shrug their shoulders

Grandmama Exactly.
All Ah!

They gather in a circle to discuss the problem, while Grandmama stands aside

Grandmama Here I am, all dressed up and ready to go, and nobody seems to know what I’m supposed to be doing. (She looks at the group) Don’t take all night about it.

from The Wise Villagers

259 The Moorings, Dalgety Bay, Fife, KY11 9GX.
Tel: (01383) 825737 E-mail: enquiries@spotlightpublications.com