THE TINDER BOX

Cast:

Soldier                         Once Captain of the Palace Guard, enamoured of the Princess

Princess Britney          A modern girl who knows what she wants

King Dubya                Well meaning but not too bright

Queen                          Well intentioned but gullible

Chamberlain                A nasty piece of work

Hans Christian Anderson        One of the Chamberlain’s henchmen

N. Ronn                      Anderson’s accomplice in all things illegal and a bit of a prawn

Archibald Slobber       A man of many parts

Monstrous dog(s)        Same costume but use spectacles to give each dog bigger eyes

Princess’s nurse           Overprotective and unimaginative

Mavis                          The maid at Slobber’s inn

Bosh & Pecks              Expensive fair-weather friends

Watford John              A worshipper of flowers and an expensive friend

Children – as ghosts and monsters / children of the town

Townsfolk/travellers

Synopsis:

The Chamberlain has persuaded the King that he is the man to marry the Princess and take up the reins of government. To bolster his finances, the Chamberlain sends his henchmen to fetch some treasure and an old tinderbox from a cave under an old tree.  Afraid of the dark, they enlist the help of the soldier, newly returned from the war.

Wearing the magic pinny he descends into a spooky cave where he meets ghosts and then a magic dog who gives him copper coins.  Back on the surface he defeats the double-crossing henchmen and meets Archibald Slobber who guides him to an inn.

At the inn, the soldier is methodically relieved of all his wealth by Slobber and a series of fair-weather friends.  Bankrupt and alone in his threadbare room he takes out the tinderbox to light his last stub of candle.  The magic dog appears, brings him money and then, to combat his loneliness, brings the Princess to see him.  They plan to elope together.

The henchmen have followed the princess and our hero is arrested and sentenced to death.  Once again the dog saves the day.  The villains are routed, the soldier and princess are re-united and everything is put to rights.