Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales (NHB Modern Plays)

Stage Version

Philip Pullman

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781780017617
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

What is that, trailing your footsteps, breathing softly down your neck?

Rediscover the magic and wonder of the original Grimm Tales, retold by master-storyteller Philip Pullman. In this stage version by Philip Wilson, you'll meet the familiar characters – Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel – and some unexpected ones too, such as Hans-My-Hedgehog, the Goose Girl at the Spring and the remarkable Thousandfurs.

Full of deliciously dark twists and turns, the tales come to life in all their glittering, macabre brilliance – a delight for children and adults alike.

These Grimm Tales were first performed as immersive storytelling experiences underneath Shoreditch Town Hall, London, in 2014, and Bargehouse on the South Bank in 2015. They also offer plentiful opportunities for youth theatres, schools and amateur companies looking for a vivid new version of the classic fairytales.

'Beautifully done, and thrilling to stumble upon... atmospheric to the point of inspiring awe' - Telegraph

'A magic box of glittering surprises' - The Times

THE SECOND SET OF TALES

The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich

The Three Little Men in the Woods

Thousandfurs

The Goose Girl at the Spring

Hansel and Gretel

Faithful Johannes

And the one that got away…

The Donkey Cabbage

The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich

For this Tale, two locations in THE KING’s palace are needed – the dining room and THE PRINCESS’s bedchamber. For both of these, doors are important. Outside, there’s the carriageway… and, of course, the place in the deep dark forest where, under a lime tree, there is a well. There are many ways to depict a frog: whichever you chose, his moment of transformation is critical.

You might like to consider a prologue, in which we see how THE PRINCE upset the Witch, and how she put a curse on him. Or you may prefer to keep the surprise, for when the spell is broken.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. In the olden days,

THE FROG. when wishing still worked,

THE KING. there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful;

THE PRINCESS. but the youngest daughter

THE KING. was so lovely that even the sun, who has seen many things, was struck with wonder every time he shone on her face.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. Not far away from the king’s palace there was a deep dark forest,

THE FROG. and under a lime tree in the forest there was a well.

THE KING. In the heat of the day the princess used to go into the forest and sit by the edge of the well,

THE PRINCESS. from which a marvellous coolness seemed to flow.

THE KING. To pass the time she had a golden ball, which she used to throw up in the air and catch.

THE PRINCESS. It was her favourite game.

THE KING. Now one day it happened that she threw it a little carelessly, and she couldn’t catch it.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. Instead the ball rolled away from her

THE FROG. and towards the well,

THE PRINCESS. and then it ran right over the edge and disappeared.

A moment of shock: it’s lost!

THE KING. The princess ran after it, and looked down into the water;

THE PRINCESS. but it was so deep that she couldn’t see the ball. She couldn’t even see the bottom of the well.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. She began to cry, and she cried louder and louder, inconsolably.

THE KING. But as she wept and sobbed, someone spoke to her.

THE FROG (just his disembodied voice). ‘What’s the matter, princess? You’re crying so bitterly, you’d move a stone to pity.’

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. She looked round to see where the voice was coming from,

THE KING. and saw a frog who’d stuck his big ugly head out of the water.

And THE FROG appears.

THE PRINCESS. ‘Oh, it’s you, you old splasher. I’m crying because my golden ball’s fallen into the water and it’s so deep and I can’t see it.’

THE FROG. ‘Well, you can stop crying now. I can help you, but what will you give me if I fetch your ball for you?’

THE PRINCESS. ‘Whatever you want, frog! Anything! My clothes, my pearls, my jewels, even the golden crown I’m wearing.’

THE FROG ‘I don’t want your clothes, and your jewels and your golden crown are no good to me, but if you love me and take me as your companion and your playmate, if you let me sit next to you at the table and eat from your dish and drink from your cup and sleep in your bed, then I’ll dive down and bring up your golden ball.’

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. The princess thought,

THE PRINCESS. ‘What is this stupid frog saying? Whatever he thinks, he’ll have to stay in the water where he belongs. Perhaps he can get my ball.’

THE KING. But of course she didn’t say that.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. Instead she said,

THE PRINCESS. ‘Yes, yes, I’ll promise you all of that if you just bring me my ball.’

THE KING. As soon as the frog heard her say ‘Yes’, he put his head under the water and dived to the bottom.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. A moment later he came swimming back up with the ball in his mouth, and he threw it on to the grass.

THE KING. The princess was so happy to see it that she snatched it up and ran off at once.

THE FROG. ‘Wait, wait!’

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. called the frog.

THE FROG. ‘Take me with you! I can’t hop as fast as you can run!’

THE PRINCESS. But she took no notice.

THE KING. She hurried home

And THE PRINCESS slams the palace door shut.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. and forgot all about the poor frog,

THE FROG. who had to go back down into his well.

THE KING. Next day the princess was sitting at table with her father the king

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. and all the people of the court, and eating off her golden plate,

THE PRINCESS. when something came hopping up the marble steps:

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. plip plop,

THE PRINCESS. plip plop.

THE KING. When it reached the top – (Knock knock.) it knocked at the door and called:

THE FROG. ‘Princess! Youngest princess! Open the door for me!’

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. She ran to see who it was, and opened the door,

THE PRINCESS. and there was the frog.

THE KING. Frightened – (Slam.) she slammed the door shut at once and ran back to the table.

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. The king saw that her heart was pounding, and said,

THE KING. ‘What are you afraid of, my child? Is there a giant there at the door?’

THE PRINCESS. ‘Oh, no, it’s not a giant, it’s a horrible frog.’

THE KING. ‘What does the frog want with you?’

THE PRINCESS. ‘Oh, Papa, yesterday when I was playing in the forest near the well, my golden ball fell in the water. And I started to cry and because I was crying so much, the frog got it for me, and because he insisted, I had to promise that he could be my companion. But I didn’t think he’d ever leave the water, not really. But there he is outside the door and he wants to come in!’

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. And then there came – (Knock knock knock.) a second knock at the door, and a voice called:

THE FROG.

‘Princess, princess, youngest daughter,

Open up and let me in!

Or else your promise by the water

Isn’t worth a rusty pin.

Keep your promise, royal daughter,

Open up and let me in!’

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. The king said,

THE KING. ‘If you make a promise, you have to keep it. Go and let him in.’

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. She opened the door

THE PRINCESS. and the frog hopped in. He hopped all the way to her chair.

THE FROG. ‘Lift me up. I want to sit next to you.’

THE PRINCESS. She didn’t want to,

FAITHFUL HEINRICH. but the king said,

THE KING. ‘Go on. Do as he says.’

THE PRINCESS. So she lifted the frog up.

THE KING. Once he was on the ch...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Thanks
• Foreword by Philip Pullman
• Telling Tales by Philip Wilson
• Original Production Credits
• The First Set of Tales
• The Second Set of Tales
• About the Authors
• Copyright