Description

Myths and Legends from Different Civilizations

Myths and Legends from Different Civilizations is a collection of plays on the myths and legends of ancient civilisations including the Egyptians, the Romans, Russia, China and India. Separate plays are available. Follow the links

Play 1 :  Ancient Egypt: The Story of Isis & Osiris

5 plays and 5 quizzes

Speakers: Osiris, Set, Isis, Nephthys, Horus and Anubis

Set:    What? Cutting my brother’s body up into 14 pieces? And then scattering them around the world? Well, I couldn’t make it easy for Isis  a second time, now could I?

Anubis:  Still. At least she had mum and I to help her this second time.

Set:       Deserters! No backbone – (chuckling) or is that my poor scattered brother I’m thinking of!

Osiris:    You evil man! Fancy putting your family to all that trouble!

Set:       But I thought we all liked jigsaw puzzles! And this really was the jigsaw to end all jigsaws! Always said you had no sense of fun!

Play 2 :  Ancient Rome: The Story of Romulus & Remus

Speakers: Numitor, Amulius, Rhea Silvia, Faustulus, Romulus and Remus

Numitor:           Silence, Romulus! Did you not get taught any manners during your upbringing?

Amulius(snidely):  Would that be by the she-wolf or the shepherd?

Rhea Silvia:      Ignore him, Faustulus. You did a magnificent job, looking after my boys.

Amulius:          Huh! No wonder they were confused – first surrounded by wolves and then by sheep! Taught to eat sheep one minute and then to look after them the next! Not surprising they turned out as they did!

Play 3 Russia: Babushka

Speakers: Babushka, Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar, Inn keeper and Mary

Inn keeper:       So come on, don’t keep us wondering! What kept her at home, forsaking

this opportunity of a life time?

Balthazar:     (pausing):          ….Housework!

Inn keeper:   Housework! You are joking?

Mary:            Please tell me you didn’t miss out on my son’s birth because of household

chores!

Caspar:         Has the expression ‘Get a life!’ occurred to anyone else?!

Babushka:  You men are so predictable! ‘Get a life’ indeed! This coming from a

wandering nomad with nothing more to worry about than the sign of the

next inn!

Play 4 Ancient China: The Monkey Who Would Be King

Speakers: Sun Hou-tzu, Magician, Devil, Goddess, Laozi and Buddha

Goddess:          What insolence! If I’d been his mum, I’d have scrambled him at birth!

Sun Hou-tzu:    But you weren’t! Though it did feel a little as if I’d been hard-boiled, when I first emerged from that stone egg!

Devil:                A real egg-head!

Laozi:               So that’s where he got his eg_o from!

Sun Hou-tzu:    Oh please! Spare us! No wonder I felt superior to you lot! And what with all my power …

Magician:          But that was only given to you so that you might help others!

Goddess:          Definitely not to make the most awful nuisance of yourself!

Play 5 The Story of Savitri and Satyavan

Speakers: Savitri, Savitri’s father, Satyavan, Satyavan’s father, Navada and Yama

Satyavan:                      It was love at first sight!

Savitri:                          It didn’t matter where I lived, as long as I had Satyavan by my

side!

Navada:                       All very cosy! But what about my warning?

Yama:                          That your beloved Satyavan would be dead within the year!

Savitri’s father:              So not only was I losing my daughter to a man with no money

Yama:                          But to a man with a death sentence hanging over his head.

Navada:                       Young love! They wouldn’t listen!