Wit & Wisdom
Roger Jenkins
storyteller
storyteller
© Roger Jenkins 2011 Made With Serif WebPlus.
READERS THEATRE
Why Bats
Live in Trees
an Indian folktale
dramatised by
Roger Jenkins
For the full script please
contact me.
You are welcome to use the script for a free performance
but please acknowledge
I am the author!
If you are selling tickets for the event,
let’s discuss
a token royalty for use of my intellectual property
Another Reader’s theatre script
Why Bats
Live in Trees
an Indian folktale
dramatised by
Roger Jenkins
For the full script please
contact me.
You are welcome to use the script for a free performance
but please acknowledge
I am the author!
If you are selling tickets for the event,
let’s discuss
a token royalty for use of my intellectual property
Another Reader’s theatre script
NARRATOR Once upon a time, long, long ago, before man walked and talked the world, there were only two kinds of living things on earth:
ANIMALS The animals!
BIRDS The Birds!
NARRATOR And though they lived side by side, they weren’t very good neighbours:
ANIMALS Four legs are better than two legs
Four legs are better than two –
Animals are better than birds because
We’ve got more legs than you!
BIRDS Huh! Who wants legs? We’ve got wings!
Who wants legs when we can fly?
Why walk around, stuck on the ground
When wings lift you up in the sky?
NARRATOR And so it went on, arguing all day long.
On one side there were:
ANIMALS The Animals!! (they strut)
NARRATOR And on the other side were:
BIRDS The Birds! (flaunt their feathers)
ANIMALS You are Pests!
BIRDS You are Beasts!
BATS And in the middle – there’s us!
ANIMAL/BIRDS What are you?
BATS Bats!
ANIMALS Are you animals –
BIRDS Or birds?
ANIMALS Yeah – are you on our side?
BIRDS Or are you on our side?
ANIMAL/BIRDS Which??
BATS We’re not sure.
ALL Hunh??
BATS Well, we’ve got the body of an animal
ANIMALS/BIRDS Great! / Yuk!
BATS But we’ve also got wings.
BIRDS/ANIMALS Great! / Yuk!
BATS So what are we?
ANIMALS/BIRDS Make up your mind – fast!
ANIMALS Before we eat you up!
BIRDS Before we beat you up!
NARRATOR What a problem. How to decide?
Meanwhile, the fighting began:
ANIMALS Roar!
BIRDS Caw!
ANIMALS Growl!
BIRDS Squawk!
ANIMALS Snarl!
BIRDS Hiss!
ANIMALS Animals are stronger!
BIRDS Birds have greater numbers.
ANIMALS Our claws are bigger!
BIRDS We attack from the air!
ANIMALS Ow! Ouch!
BIRDS Argh! Squawk!!
NARRATOR And all the time, the bats couldn’t decide. Were they animals ? Or were they birds?
BATS 1 Who’s winning?
BATS 2 It’s hard to tell.
BATS 1 I think the animals are winning.
BATS 2 Are you sure?
BATS 1 With lion and tiger on their side,
how can they lose?
BATS 2 Let’s join the animals!
BATS Hey, animals!
We’re on your side! We’re animals.
ANIMALS Then come and help us.
BATS Let’s go! ATTAAAACK!
BAT 1 Hold it! How do bats fight?
Our claws are so small!
BAT 2 Yes – but our faces are so UGLY
We don’t fight them – we frighten them!
BAT 1 But what if the birds don’t fly away?
BAT 2 We use our secret weapon.
BAT 1 What is our secret weapon?
BATS BAT POOP!! (Birds cry Yuk!)
BAT 2 There’s nothing more stinky and smelly than …
ALL BATS BAT POOOOOOOP!
ANIMALS Look out! It’s eagle!
EAGLE Craaaak! I am Eagle, fierce and strong!
Who cares how loud the lion roars?
Animals run before my claws!
BIRDS Come on birds – Eagle’s here!
Now we have no cause to fear!
Animals : prepare to die!
(BIRDS chase ANIMALS away. Bats are left alone)