| Archive for The Potting Shed A forum to discuss Crafts, Cooking, Gardening, Countryside, Livestock and Pets |
| nanny |
cinderella - the plotOk.The way I see it there is this Baron Well ‘Ard Up who lives in this crumbling castle all full of rats and other unpleasantries but which has (for some reason known only to the panto writer) a fine vegetable patch. He had the dosh but with the death duties and the gas bills and one or two library fines, he is now on his uppers, no staff left in the place, just his valet Buttons and his daughter Ella. Buttons has a pash for Ella but of course as he is a servant and she is the boss’s daughter it must be unrequited. That’s the way in worked in those days. Ella is a very nice girl (can’t stand mincing women myself) and looks after her dad but he needs to pay off the library fines so he marries himself off to a rich widow who has two daughters with more money than taste and he brings the three of them to live in the castle. The two sisters are well anti-Ella and after the intial down treading excercises she ends up in the kitchens all on her own, there to spend most of her time apparently up to her ears in soot and with only the vermin and Buttons for company. The two sisters are always getting at her and basically she has a miserable life. In a castle far, far away there also lives this prince chappie, ok in his way but what he really needs is a good woman or so his mother thinks, his father thinks he should have a bad woman and keep the good woman for state occasions, banquets and that kind of thing, when appearances really matter. Mumsie has high hopes for her son and wants him to marry in the dynastic manner, the prince wants to marry for love (awwwwww.) Anyway the prince and his valet Dandini decide to take themselves off one fine day for a wander in the countryside and perhaps for a bit of berry picking, what do I know. They decide to switch identities for the day so that prince charming can experience real life and get dirty and all the sorts of things that servants are allowed to do. How jolly. By a huge coincidence (and the things fairy stories are made of) our heroine Ella has managed to do a runner for the avo into the same woods and happens upon an old crone who is all alone in the woods with a basket, collecting some of those mushrooms that you see on television programmes. “Prithee Crone,” says Ella. “You look rather knackered. Wantest thou some help from a poor downtrodden servant what is really a beautiful young lady covered in soot? If so I am your girl.” “Rather,” says the Crone between toothless gums and Ella gives her a hand collecting all kinds of what probably will prove to be fatal fungi .Off waddles the crone, a full fungi basket in hand in hand and little does Ella realise that she will meet the old crone in other circumstances later in act 2. Who should Ella bump into but the prince who is disguised as a servant etc. Quel surprise. Of course the prince falls head over heels in love, there is probably a song in there somewhere and lots of heartfelt sighs, eventually after a few minutes they part as Ella has to get back, she only has a half day on Saturday after all, and there is loads of ugly sister type underwear to iron. She legs it back to the castle where of course the ugly sisters take it all out on her and then some, then ends the scene sitting in the fireplace (clearly no woodburner- I know the feeling) crying her eyes out. The Prince’s mom decides enough is enough, the kid has to marry and the only way to force the issue is to have a big party, invite all the well to do and available girls in the kingdom and he gets his pick. Invitations are issued and of course the ugly sisters both get one, they make a big thing of it in front of poor ill-used Ella and go off to decide what they are to wear. Ella is a bit upset . So she sings this song about how much she would like to go to a party…..or is that in the sound of music? Oh well. In the middle of this Buttons appears and gives her an invite that the sisters tried to chuck out but of course, Ella has nothing to wear and another song pops out of nowhere. She is left sitting in the hearth crying and talking to rats. Strange girl. Knock on door, enter stage left THE CRONE. She asks what is the matter and Ella tells her and hey presto, the Crone becomes a fairy god mother. Surprise, surprise. “Yes Cinderella, you shall go to the ball,” is the line I believe and she gets Ella to round up some mice and rats, of course we all know that if you have one you don’t have the other, but hey ho this is panto so we can have rats and mice if we want. Ella is also detailed to go to the veg patch (remember that?) and bring in the pumpkin that happens to have done very well this year despite the drought, and hey presto with a wave of the fairy godmother wand, Ella has a full coach with compliment of footmen and Shetland ponies. Another wave and she has the dress and is told that she must be home by midnight. Of goes Ella to the ball, end act 2. And so to the ball where the party is in full swing and the ugly sisters are making a play for the prince who isn’t having any of it, he still thinks about the girl in the woods, but knows it’s no use, mom is going to get her way and he is going to have to make a choice. Enter the beautiful princess from who knows where that absolutely nobody recognises, always thought that was strange. She and the prince dance all night, they fall in love blah, blah, blah and then the clock strikes 12 and Ella knows that she has about a nano second to get away before all is revealed. In the process she loses a shoe (size 4, crystal) on the steps of the palace and gets halfway home before everything turns back into what it was and she is left standing on the side of the road with a shed load of vermin and a very large vegetable but not even the price of a bus ticket. The prince is distraught and decrees that he will only marry the girl that fit’s the slipper. His mother finds this very tiresome but figures that at least he will marry somebody so agrees to issue the proclamation to that effect in order to find the girl. To cut a long story rather shorter, the prince ends up at baron Well ‘Ard Up’s castle where the ugly sisters spend an act or two trying to wedge their feet into the aforementioned size 4 crystal, all to no avail. Ella wants to have a shot at it, the sisters try to stop her, they can’t. Ella’s foot fits into the shoe, there is much agony and breast beating by the ugly sisters, the prince says, "Wow, you are the girl in the woods, what a coincidence", proposes marriage to Ella, she accepts, he father comes with her and so does Buttons, the ugly sisters end up in a cold water flat in the capital, there is a grand finale high kick-off and the happy couple live happily ever after The end. Well that’s it in a nutshell Casting tomorrow Ella Prince Dandini Prince’s mom and dad Crone/fairy godmother 2 sisters Buttons Baron Assorted vermin Large vegetable (I see this as a cameo role) |
||
| Kathy |
Ooooo, what a cracking story just the sort of thing for panto. Hope I get a good part, ( a bit of bribery might go down well here, perhaps a bottle or 2 or 3 of Ardbeg). | ||
| nanny |
i could be open to bribery if that is on offer
i see you as perhaps a fairy godmother rather than a large vegetable in that case in fact a whole case would get you the ella part |
||
| Leonie2 |
 sounds fab, well done nanny.
|
||
| Cabbagepatch |
Wow Nanny, that sounds fab. I'm off to have a lie down on the casting couch.................... | ||
| lloyd |
Oh I say, Nanster. Have I told you lately how lovely a script you write? 
Up to usual standards then. Standing by waiting for the cue...................... 
|
||
| Leonie2 |
someone remind me please, when is this all happening, friday? have we decided a time yet? | ||
| nanny |
i reckon the 22nd dec which is friday and from maybe 8.30pm - 10pm max
so nobody gets too bored if we have too many takers for the panto bit, anybody else can be the audience that's where the soap opera bit comes in i will start it off and cue the first part and then you all run with it, i will jump in and push things along if necessary ok...... we need a girl for ella and i believe that the prince is a girl as well (only the brits could do it that way - in the states the prince would be a hulking great well toned and tanned guy with a hairy chest and lots of very white teeth) one prince's mom and one prince's dad a crone who can double as the fairy godmother 2 very ugly sisters ( great part for men who like to be called angela on the weekends) one man for buttons a male part for the baron a couple of squeaky verminous type people and someone into method acting who can take what i feel is probably THE most difficult role of a very large vegetable..... so come along now speak up shout who you want to be and i will have the final say |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
Nanny, after last year's debacle as Jack, I can only humbly beg that you give me a part.....perhaps I should be a squeaky rat or the large vegetable..... | ||
| nanny |
hmmmmmmmm
if kathy would like to be the old crone, fairy godmother ( she did mention yesterday she wanted a part and i see her as the earth mother type) perhaps you would like to be.........ummmmmmmm.........the prince's mom how is that? come along now everybody step up for a part............. |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
Oh thank you thank you thank you....I felt sure you would banish me half way up a beanstalk or something 
|
||
| Kathy |
Well I've been called worse things than an old crone and if it means I also get to be fairy godmother then I'm happy. Now, I need two outfits for this, hmmm........better go look in my very extensive pantomime wardrobe......... | ||
| nanny |
now what does his lloydliness want to be.....
i see him in a frock, don't know about you perhaps you see him in a frock every evening............... |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
nanny, i couldn't possibly comment 
|
||
| Kathy |
Yes, definitely a frock, it will go well with his shapely calfs................. | ||
| nanny |
bet he could though
so where is he then can he not speak? does he want the part or not? no pressure.............. |
||
| Kathy |
Don't forget the high heels, the frock must have matching high heels. | ||
| Cabbagepatch |
his lloydiness has been busy, however i shall go and fetch him from his manly endeavours.
back shortly.................................................. |
||
| lloyd |
Yo Nanster!
What you got for me then? |
||
| Leonie2 |
can I be one of the ugly sisters, please please please
|
||
| Cabbagepatch |
Come on Nanny what plans have you got for Lloydie? I bet you have something devious up your writer's sleeve
|
||
| Leonie2 |
aggrrrr, the suspense is killing me
|
||
| Haize |
I'd love to be a large vegetable... Please can I be the pumpkin?!
Only so long as it doesn't get run over by a carriage though... 
|
||
| Becki |
I am at work this friday 
|
||
| Cabbagepatch |
becki, the thing with soap operas, is that they go on and on, so if you can't make friday i'm sure nanny will be ready willing and able to continue the plot....
|
||
| nanny |
ok leonie how about you and lloyd are ugly sisters together?
i want lots of acting here.......plenty of scope for what ever rings your chimes haize, a volunteer to be a large vegetable is gratefully accepted..............don't forget your comfrey fertilizer drink before the big day to achieve the reality of the part...... becki - i shall need vermin right to the bitter end of the panto so still a chance and by the way, where is mark and what part will he think of doing still have ella prince charming or whatever you want to call him prince's dad buttons baron to cast shaping up nicely now....... |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
eerrrr, nannny, i have forgotten already what i'm doing, anything to do with wibbling along a lane?,.......
chortle |
||
| Becki |
I'll be a horse that pops in every now and then, but who is always late?
|
||
| nanny |
you are the prince's mom you can have a hormonal type moment if you want and wibble along any old where you like becki we need a horse or two that will pull the coach can you do a sort of dennis price in kind hearts and coronets type thing and do more than one horse? i think she had a coach and four....... |
||
| Becki |
oh blimey
|
||
| Kathy |
I've got nothing to wear................................. | ||
| nanny |
oh no!!
and you need at least one costume change.......where's the wardrobe mistress? have you tried a theatrical costumiers? i know of one or two that might help........... |
||
| Kathy |
I don't want to look to old cronish, bad for the image and I'd hate to get typecast. Can I keep all my teeth and at least a few wisps of hair? | ||
| nanny |
oh if you must
after all, fairy godmothers are in the eye of the beholder aren't they? go for it......... |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
hooray, for the first time ever I have the perfect excuse to wibble hormonly
kathy, i'm sorting out outfits tomorrow, going up to the loft to sort out costumes, anything you need? |
||
| nanny |
i am starting to stress
i just know i am starting to stress breathe in breathe out ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
Nanny dear, do calm down, all will be fine. You know it will be.
Would you like me to pop some Rescue Remedy in the post, 1st Class Essential Delivery????? |
||
| Kathy |
I'll need something to hold in the wobbly bits CP, unless you know a good plastic surgeon, I want to look my best you know, never know who might be there. | ||
| Cabbagepatch |
Kathy, we don't have wobbly bits, we have womanly curves.
|
||
| Kathy |
Oh, ok then, but you'll need to check out my outfit just to make sure. I'm sure I might need some kind of corset to get into my Fairy godmother frock and you'll need to check my bum doesn't look big in it.................. | ||
| Cabbagepatch |
Kathy, never fear, am just about to leap into my faithful chariot and belt up the motorway. Have assorted frocks and wardrobe props at the ready.....
Do you think Nanny is regretting this now.......
|
||
| lloyd |
Don't know what to wear or not wear as my role is still kept secret from me.........
|
||
| Leonie2 |
Lloyd, you're one of the ugly sisters, and so am I....ooooh can't wait, must get costume sorted out.
|
||
| Cabbagepatch |
This is soooooo exciting, have cancelled all other engagements, the phone will be disconnected, and doors firmly bolted. Trouble is, we'll be fighting over the keyboard.
 Hmm, perhaps I could kidnap no.1 son's 'puter.....
|
||
| nanny |
lloyd you are an ugly sister darling
a chance for us to see your feminine side but where is all the rest of the cast? we are still missing a whole load of parts so come on people other wise 4 people are going to be doing a hell of a lot of acting |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
They are all busy bunging their christmas puddings full of sixpenses.
Am most confident that we shall have a few more potties arriving shortly to participate. Well, one can only hope
|
||
| nanny |
i am sure you are right
it'll be alright on the night wont' it? |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
Indeed it will, did the smelling salts and rescue remedy arrive today perchance? | ||
| nanny |
oh yes
first night nerves well before first night i can hear the band rehearsing even as i type oh no i told them we were doing panto not a funeral i suppose they will be alright on the night as well oh god, the conductor has just thrown his baton at the first violinist quick call an ambulance, there's been a stabbing !!! |
||
| lloyd |
Calm down, dear!..It's only a commercial!!
|
||
| nanny |
there's blood on the walls i tell you
could be novel in this once the trial is over |
||
| alison |
What about me then?
Any ideas?
|
||
| Kathy |
Does my bum look big in this....................... | ||
| Cabbagepatch |
Kathy, your bum looks divine you old crone you
I have yet to sort out my costume and the hours are ticking away
|
||
| Kathy |
Phew, thank goodness, now, Fairy godmother outfit ............................ | ||
| Cabbagepatch |
And a Prince's mom outfit for me while you are rummaging in your loft please? I think there is a mouse or three in mine,, I hear the pitter patter of scurrying feet
|
||
| Leonie2 |
I'd better go find a frock
|
||
| Leonie2 |
right, got my panto outfit on, best I could find and not nearly as good as Kathy's
|
||
| Kathy |
Oooo Leonie, hope Lloyds is as good.......................... | ||
| lloyd |
|
||
| nanny |
alison at last who do you want to be? you can be cinderella and have the lead if you like alison? ALISON!!!!! |
||
| lloyd |
ALISON!!!! | ||
| nanny |
somebody ring her, you must know her phone number........
this is not the time for visitors or entertaining the vicar..... it's show time |
||
| lloyd |
Hmm....For some reason I can't use the add image button succesfully....
Here we go, courtesy of Photobucket...This is me tonight..... http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/lloyd1785/ugly-sister-orang.jpg |
||
| nanny |
the outfit in your avatar looks natty enough to me
ALISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! curtain up at 8.30 |
||
| alison |
Darlings,
I am here! 
|
||
| nanny |
you diva's are all the same
can you get into costume please cinders curtain up in 28 minutes |
||
| Cabbagepatch |
Phew, i thought we were on at 8pm. good, long enough to find my maid to do my hair before showtime. | ||
| Leonie2 |
what part is Alison playing? | ||
| lloyd |
Buttons I think? | ||
| Leonie2 |
I thought nanny was buttons? | ||
| lloyd |
Hm...Okay, dunno. | ||
| Cabbagepatch |
PLEASE PLEASE CAN WE HAVE JUST ONE THREAD FOR THIS???
|
||
| lloyd |
Agreed | ||
| lloyd |
Curtains going up | ||
| nanny |
we have
it's cinderella - the panto i've started |
||
| Leonie2 |
locking here too |