Description

Pompeii Up

Pompeii Up. Buried under all that ash, will the truth about what really happened at Pompeii and Herculaneum ever be revealed? Join our despairing Narrator in his quest for ‘the story’ – via a poet, two archaeologists, a number of Romans (‘earthly’ and otherwise) plus a personal account from the great Pliny himself.

I have just added an assembly on Volcanoes – what are they, where are they, different types etc – so more of a geographic/scientific script than Pompeii Up. But just as entertaining – and truly explosive! Plus one on Natural Disasters which include: Volcanoes (some extracts from Volcanoes script and Pompeii Up), Earthquakes, Storms – Cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons), Tornadoes, Tsunami, Fire, Flooding and Drought.

Cast of 30, approximate duration 20 minutes.

Pompeii Up Sample Text

Narrator:             Good morning and welcome to

(Enter Poet Statius, wailing loudly)

Poet Statius:       Ah me! Gone! Buried! Lost forever!

Narrator:             Oh dear! Woeful or what?

Poet Statius:       And so would you have been if you’d been around a little over 2000 years ago!

Narrator:             2000 years? Wow! That makes you one very old

Poet Statius:       Poet! Indeed, I go by the name of Statius. And my words have been repeated many times over the centuries.

Narrator:             Well, go on then! Let’s hear them!

Poet Statius:       (Reading) ‘In the future, when crops grow again and this devastated wilderness blooms once more, will people believe that towns, people and estates are all buried beneath the soil?’

Whole cast:        (Cheering loudly) Yes!

(Poet Statius jumps up in the air in surprise)

Poet Statius:       What? But… how can this be?

(Enter Pompeii and Herculaneum archaeologists)

P. Arch.                Well, if it’s Pompeii you’re talking about

H. Arch.                Or Herculaneum

Poet Statius:       (Gasping) Indeed!

P. Arch.                Well, we’ve rediscovered both!

Poet Statius:       No! But how is this possible? Both were totally buried!

H. Arch.                Ah well, things have moved on a little since your time!

P. Arch.                Amazing what us archaeologists can do!

Poet Statius:       (Puzzled) Ar… Archae …

Narrator:             I think he’s trying to say ‘archaeologist’!

Poet Statius:       I was .. but what is an (pauses) archaeologist?

Narrator:             (Looking towards two archaeologists) Over to you!

P. Arch.                We find out how people lived in the past

H. Arch.                By digging them up!

(Poet Statius shrieks in horror)

P. Arch.                No, no. There’s way more to it than just skeletons! Our excavations reveal people’s possessions and buildings

H. Arch.                And by studying these artefacts and architecture we can picture how ancient civilisations actually lived..

P. Arch.                It really does bring the past alive!

Please note: The script is available in word document format on purchase of Performing Rights Certificate. The scripts remain free of performance rights for staging in the class room but as an assembly in front of a non-paying audience you need to buy a single Performance Rights Certificate to cover you for the play you are purchasing.