Nicholas Nickleby Panto

Description

Nicholas Nickleby Panto is an adaptation of the Nicholas Nickleby Play – converting the original script that I wrote into one that could be used at Christmas, as a pantomime. The villainous Ralph; the ridiculous, Panto Dame-like Mrs. Nickleby; the cheery, comic contribution of the Cheeryble Brothers – all seemed to offer the ideal opportunity to write such an adaptation.

This script, I hope, includes most of the normal pantomime ‘features’. The only one that is ‘missing’ is the normal ‘singing element’ – the playlist suggestions (music that is used to introduce each scene) could be adapted to include some singing by the cast. At the time of writing this script, November 2020, England along with a number of other countries, is in Lockdown due to COVID 19 and sadly, singing is one of those ‘prohibited activities’. Hopefully, singing will return in the future but for now, this seems like the best option.

Cast of 30

Duration – around 90 minutes. This is only a rough estimate as it depends how much music is included.

Sample Text:

Music – I Love to Laugh – Mary Poppins

Scene VII London

Narrator:             Now, this is the kind of company you want to keep – and work for!

(Enter the two Cheeryble brothers, Charles and Ned)

Charles:               Welcome, sir!

Ned:                     Yes, a warm welcome to anyone who steps within our workplace!

Narrator:             And a thriving business it is, too!

Charles:               Only as good as its workers.

Narrator:             And I’m guessing, they’re more than happy to work for an employer like you!

Charles:               Oh, don’t be forgetting my brother, Ned! We have an equal partnership, happily going under the name of

Charles & Ned:  (Together) The Cheeryble Brothers!

Narrator:             You certainly are a pair of cheerful chappies!

Charles:               We are that, all right! And, looking on from the wings, it did occur to us that er, well, how shall I put this?

Ned:                     Let me say it for you! This script of yours is just a little on the serious side?

Narrator:             Well, of course it is. Charles Dickens may have been many things

Charles:               (Interrupting) But not a stand-up comedian?

Narrator:             Certainly not! And thank goodness for that! Way too many of them around today, if you ask me!

Ned:                     You think so? Hmm. Well, it just so happens

Narrator:             Oh, please don’t tell me that’s what you two do, in your spare time?

Charles:               Not just in our spare time, as it so happens! We have quite a reputation

Charles & Ned:  (Together) Us Cheeryble Brothers!

Narrator:             (Groaning) Oh no! (Waving script in the air) This certainly wasn’t in the script!

Charles:               And what a dull, dreary script it is!

Ned:                     We’re going to change that

Music – to introduce each scene

1.      Money Money Money – Abba

2.      Food Glorious Food – Oliver

3.      We Don’t Need No Education – Pink Floyd

4.      Fashion – David Bowie

5.      All Night Long – Lionel Ritchie

6.      The Boys are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy

7.      I Love to Laugh – from Mary Poppins

8.      Love is in the Air – Tom Jones

9.      Who are you? The Who

10.   Strangers in the Night – Frank Sinatra

11.   I’m Getting Married in the Morning – My Fair Lady

12.   Sound of Silence – Simon and Garfunkel

13.   Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

14.   Stop in the Name of Love – Diana Ross

15.   We are Family – Sister Sledge (used twice)