The Selfish Giant

Description

The Selfish Giant,  Cast of 6 – Readers Theatre/Guided Reading/Short Play with synopsis, teaching input, discussion points and suggestions for further activities.

This script is one of a collection which includes:

1. 1. The Happy Prince:    Cast of 6 – around 10 minutes reading time
   2. The Nightingale and the Rose:   Cast of 6 – around 5 – 10 minutes reading time
   3. The Selfish Giant:  Cast of 6 – around 5 minutes reading time
   4. The Devoted Friend:  Cast of 6 – around 5 – 10 minutes reading time
   5. The Remarkable Rocket, made up of 3 parts:

• • • Part I cast of 6, around 5 – 10 minutes reading time
    • Part II cast of 6, around 10 – 15 minutes reading time
    • Part III cast of 6, around 10 – 15 minutes reading time

The same 6 speakers may be used for all 3 parts, or 3 different sets of speakers used, taking cast size to a possible 21 (with addition of ‘extras’/doubling up)

These scripts are all available separately off www.plays-r-ussell.com

Sample Text from The Selfish Giant:

Selfish Giant:      (Sighing) Ah! What a moment when Spring returned to my garden.

Narrator:             And who can you thank for that?

Selfish Giant:      Why, the children, of course. (Pauses) It all started when I heard those first wondrous notes of that little linnet – the first birdsong I had heard in months. I cannot put into words how wonderful it was to hear that sound of music. Better than anything I’d ever heard before. Better than a royal court’s symphony, better than

Narrator:             (Interrupting) Yes, yes, I think we get it. But was that all that was special?

Selfish Giant:      Well, of course, not! The trees were all in blossom

Narrator:             And full of

Selfish Giant:      (Testily) Yes, yes, I was just getting to that! Full of children! A wonderful sight to behold.

Narrator:             A three hundred and sixty-degree reversal of your previous stand, one might say!

Child 1:                Oh, really! Isn’t it time you gave him a break?

Child 2:                Yes, we found our way back into the garden, through a gap in the wall

Child 3:                So, in theory, we were actually back trespassing again.

Child 4:                But did he call the police? No, of course, he didn’t. He was a selfish giant no more!

Selfish Giant:      But there was that one area, that far corner where winter remained.

Child 4:                I couldn’t reach up high enough to get into the tree, despite its best efforts to help me!

Child 1:                (To Giant) When we saw you coming out into the garden, we all ran away!

Child 2:                Until we saw what happened next.