LIGHTS UP

MUSIC UP AND LOUD – LIBERTY SHIP

Fish enter Stage Left
Fish move across stage throughout the song.

FADE OUT TRACK AS GRANDAD BECKONS THE SHOAL TO HIM AS THEY ARRIVE IN SPAIN.  THIS WILL BE AFTER THEY GONE ACROSS THE STAGE ABOUT 3 TIMES

Where’s Uncle Fred?
Aunty Freda?
Cousin Francessca?
And Cousin Frederico?
They must be at the Fish Market
Get the kettle on Flora
Hold your shrimps Francis Senior!
I’m dying of thirst here Flora
Can we have paella for tea Nan?

Nan, he’s got me fishbox 360!
Play nicely boys
Oi! I wanna finish the game
Get your filthy fins off it you

If my brew’s not here soon I’m going down the Anchor for a pint!

I hope Rico is coming
Whose Rico?
Oh my cod! Such and such’s cousin
He’s fit
Fishy fit hot. Fins off

Have you got your fish card Shelly?
I have indeed Pearl
I wish thingy would get her skates ON.

FADE UP SHANTY SONG AS THE LAST LINE OF THIE ABOVE DIALOGUE STARTS.

KEEP TRACK LOW UNTIL ALL THE FISH ARE LOOKING OFF TO STAGE RIGHT THEN TURN UP.

Grandad Let’s get together.

FISH SCREAM – turn track off very quickly!!

BLACK OUT.
 
BELLE VILLE RENDEZXOUS TRACK UP AS LIGHTS COME UP – SCREEN STILL UNDERWATER. TEXT TO COME ON ABOUT PLIGHT OF MEDIT. FISH, SHARK AND S’RAYS.

MUSIC STAYS ON AS TEXT CHANGES.

KEEP MUSIC ON AFTER TEXT FINISHES. FADE DOWN AFTER THE FISH SITS AND CRIES. (NEW FISH!)

ENTER STINGRAY SL  WITH GUITAR. 

The fish looks around. From SR/USR enters/ our Guitar playing Angelray! He sings a melody. The fish slowly stops crying and approaches the stingray. He has never heard anything so beautiful or seen such a creature
 before.

** Angel ray may have a leather jacket and sunglasses on! He’s very cool **

Ray  I’m Ray (pause) Angel Ray 

Fish I’m Titch and I’ve lost my family. They’ve been (he sobs. He cannot speak)

Ray Come come little one. There there. (Ray gives the fish a tissue). Hey dude where you from?

Titch Liverpool.

Ray The Beatles! Cool man. Listen, I’m working on a new tune for my band –  Angel and the Razorlights. This might cheer you up

He plays his new tune.

AFTER TUNE FINSIHES ON GUITAR – MUSIC – JAWS THEME V LOUD AND ENTER SHARK.

FISH AND RAY FREEZE.  Fish’s knees knock together.

Ray  Be cool dude.

Shark circles Ray and Fish giving them the evils. He strides with arms behind his back looking fierce.  FADE DOWN JAWS TRACK.

Shark Oh its no use. I can’t keep this up anymore. I’m too old

Ray Chomp meet Titch…..

Fish Hhhhhello Chomp

Shark sits and puts and his head in his hands.

Chomp It was alright when there were more of us sharks. We stood a chance then. But not now

Ray  Yeah dude.

Chomp I really miss them Ray

Ray  Me too dude. Me too

Ray puts his arm round Shark and gives him a tissue

Fish  Who? Who do you miss?

Ray  Our Friends

Chomp And family

Fish  Oh!

Ray You see we’ve also lost lots of our family too Titch. They’ve all gone. (pause)  Up there.

Fish  Like me?

Ray  Like you my friend, like you.

Fish  Oh

Chomp Come on….let’s go for a long swim. Helps takes your mind off stuff.

They nod in agreement and exit.

AS THE 3 OF THEM EXIT  = CHANGE VISUALS AND MUSIC TO –

SOUND OF SEAGULLS AND ARCTIC BACKDROP.
JASON WILL PLAY OVER SEAGULLS

We hear the intro of The Penguin song as a group of Penguins waddle onto stage. The head Penguin has a cane. The words of the song appear on the screen. He counts them in.

SONG/DANCE routine

Fish, Ray and Chomp enter during the routine at some point and watch the Penguins

Noble Very nice Undigo. Penny you must lift your feet up! Bit sloppy this morning   

Pen 1  Do you think we’ll pass the Ice Factor auditions?

Pen 2  That’s if they come here

Pen3  What will we do if they don’t?

Pen6 Well let’s just hope they do, and when they do, we impress them.

Pen4 And then who knows? The Chinese State Circus might even sign us up

Noble  Well…we’ll see.

Pen5 I don’t want to leave here though. I don’t fancy the circus or the Zoo.

Noble I think we all feel the same (insert penguin name) But when this ice melts it will be gone for good and we have to get ready for that.
 

Chomp Hey! We loved your routine

Ray  Yeah dude’s it was cool

Chomp Cool! Funny

Pengs Thanks Ray etc

Ray Hey Noble this is Titch and he’s in a bit of bother. Bit upset. Know what I mean? Think you can help him?

The penguins waddle over and form a circle around the 3 travellers. Titch is shivering so a penguin puts a scarf around his neck.

Chomp Lost his family. Been….you know….. (mimes being caught)

Noble I see. I see (he pauses to think and looks at Titch) Mmmmm. Let’s use the Ancient Arctic Ice Ball. It will help.

Pen 1   But it’s - 

Noble   Indeed. But I think we will risk it

The penguins and co gather around the ancient ice ball which is lit up.

Noble looks into the ice ball.

Chomp  It’s meltin…

All p’s  Sshhhhhh.

Chomp  Sorry

Noble Little Fish. It seems that you, my friend, have a very important quest.

Fish   A quest? What’s a quest?

Noble   A mission. A job.

Fish   Oh

Noble Your quest, my friend, is very simple. You must save the planet!

The penguins, ray and shark giggle.

Noble  Sshhhh. It is true.

Ray  But he’s just a fish!

Noble  Yes, but he’s a very special fish Ray.

Fish  How can I do that? And what is wrong with the planet  anyway?

Noble You will find the answers my friend. Just use the force.

Shark  He’s not Luke Skywalker Chief!

Noble Titch, you will understand what needs to be done. For us penguins here and for all our friends on this planet. You must leave now and travel alone for the next part of your journey. We wish you luck.

The penguins pat the fish on the back etc and wish him luck.

FADE UP STARS WARS MUSIC – KEEP VERY LOW SO WE CAN HEAR LAST TWO LINES.

Fish But where should I go? What should I do? I don’t understand.

Noble  Use the force my friend, use the force.

FADE UP STARS WARS TO LOUD AND ONCE STAGE IS EMPTY CLICK ON TEXT! ABOUT PLIGHT OF NORTH AND SOUTH POLE.

AFTER TEXT FINISHES BRING UP SOUTH AFRICAN VISUAL

SCENE 3 – KENYA

ENTER FISH TO STARS WARS. HE WILL SIT AND CRY DOWNSTAGE LEFT. FADE OUT STAR WARS AS HE SITS DOWN AND CRIES. And play AFRICAN DANCE MUSIC loud

ENTER CHILDREN STAGE LEFT
 
THEY DANCE. AT END OF DANCE TURN  MUSIC OFF SHARP.

We find Titch alone on the stage (DSR) and we hear African music. Titch is sat down with his head in his hands crying. On the screen behind us is an African landscape.

From SL enter a long line of children. They are dressed in sarongs and shorts and carry buckets of water on their heads. It is hot and they are tired.

They stop to practise their dance which they have been working on.

During the routine Titch stops crying and begins to watch the dancers. When they finish he gives them a round of applause.

The children hear the clapping, look around and then see Titch.

Titch  That was amazing

Child  Whoa! A talking fish. Nah man that can’t be real.

Titch  I am real. Promise

All  Whoa. Crazy etc

Titch  I’m Titch. Where am I?

Child  Kenya

Titch  Is that in Africa?

Child  Yes.

Titch  I’m so far from home

Child  Where’s home?

Titch  Liverpool.

Child  That’s miles away.

Titch (He nods) I’m lost and all my family are gone. They were caught in a big net in Spain. We were supposed to be visiting my Uncle Fred and Aunty Freda but they’ve gone too….(he cries)

Child Whoa that’s too sad little fish. Too sad.

Child I’ve lost my parents too.

Titch Have you?

Child Huh huh. I live with my brothers and my Aunty now.

Titch Oh

The group are silent for a while. Two girls give Titch a hug.

Titch Why do you carry those buckets on your heads?

Child We are carrying water back to our village.

Titch Don’t you have taps like the people in Liverpool?

Child Not in our village. But there’s a well that we go to

Child The water is too dirty in our village to drink so we have to go to the well everyday.

Titch Oh.

Child But the water is running out

Titch Is it?

Child Yes.

Titch Why?

Child It’s drying out. There isn’t enough to go round.

Titch But the ice is melting in the South Pole

Child We know. There are so many things going wrong.

Titch I’m on a quest! To save the planet!!

Child Oh (he doesn’t believe Titch and looks to his friends)

Titch Really. I was told by Emperor the Penguin.

Child Oh really?

Titch Honestly. I have to use the force he said.

Child The force of nature?

Titch Maybe. I don’t know.

Child Well little fish if that’s what you have to do then we wish you luck.

Child We have to go now. They will be waiting for the water.

Child Wait (she runs to Titch and puts a necklace around his neck) It will protect you.

The children wish Titch a safe journey etc and leave He waves and watches them go. He is once more alone.

MUISIC UP – THE LA’S LOOKING GLASS.

Fish will wander around the stage looking sad and then EXIT

KEEP MUSIC AND AFRICAN BACKDROP ON AND BRING ON TEXT ABOUT AFRICA.

AFTER LAST PAGE OF TEXT FADE OUT MUSIC VERY SLOLY AND CHANGE VISUAL TO PACIFIC ISLAND.

SCENE 4

ENTER NARRATOR AND FADE OUT THE LA’S.
 
Kamar – Narrator.

NARRATOR  So out into the Ocean swam the little fish. Lost, alone and frightened. He swam and he swam and he swam some more. The sky darkened and a terrible storm broke out. Poor little Titch. He got tossed and turned in the twirls and the swirls of the waves. He was too tired to carry on. He was washed ashore on a pacific island.

EXIT NARRATOR

MUSIC UP AND LOUD – SKELETON TRACK

FISH ENTERS AND MOVES AROIUND STAGE. HE WILL EVENTUALLY SIT AND CRY

TURN MUSIC OFF AND PLAY NEXT TRACK – JOHN BARRY.

ENTER ISLANDERS.

ONCE STOOD UP AND IN A GROUP IN CENTER STAGE, FADE OUT TRACK.

SON  Where will we go to?
DAD  I don’t know son. Somewhere safer than here.
DAUGHTER What will it be like?
MUM  I don’t know my love.
Susannah What about our friends?
Jessica  What about our home?
MUM  There is nothing we can do. The sea is so high now.
  It’s not safe anymore. We must leave.
Bethany My Teddy!
MUM  Hurry

Bethany runs to the front of stage to pick up her Teddy. She sees the little fish.

Bethany Mum! It’s a fish.

The family come over to look at the fish.

MUM  Is it alive?

DAD  It looks like it

Bethany Can I keep him?

MUM  Lets get a jar

TITCH  I’m alive

ALL  Whoa! It talked. Etc.

Titch puts his head down and cries. The family parrot who has been watching from a distance sees the little fish crying. The family are baffled/amazed/shocked at hearing the fish talk. Bit of ad lib here.

PARROT Why in the world are you crying?

FISH  My family have all been caught and I’ve been travelling for days and I’m lost, lonely and frightened.

PARROT Oh dear. (pause)  I see.

FISH  AND I have a really big quest and I and don’t think I can do it

MUM  A quest? He’s just a fish! This is silly.

FISH It’s true. I met an Emporor penguin and he looked into the future and told me that I would save the planet. But I have no idea what to do.

PARROT Tell us everything little one and we will help you.

The family, fish and parrot semi-freeze.

Olana So the little fish told us all what had happened to him and what he had seen on his journey. He told us about his family and his friends ray and Chomp. He told us about the melting ice and the penguins.

Dad  He told us about the children in Africa

Son  And that their water is running out

Bethany We told him about our island too

Olana  And why we are leaving

Amy  It’s not safe we told him.

The children unfreeze 

FISH  AND I HAVE THIS QUEST
   
PARROT Don’t worry my friend. I will help you.

FISH But how will a fish and a parrot save the world? It’s impossible. (The fish begins to cry)

Parrot Come come little one. Be brave. I have a plan.

Fish You do?

Bethany Do you?

Fish Really?

The parrot nods his head, stands tall and looks as proud as punch when he says

Parrot I am no ordinary parrot

All You’re not?

Parrot Oh no my friends, I am Rocky the all-seeing, all-knowing, time travelling Parrot. Listen……

Parrot We will use my amazing time-travelling powers and travel back in time to the year 2008. Once there we will speak with the president and he will tell the whole world. Titch, you will tell them what you have seen in the future.

Mum  Will they listen?

Bethany To a talking fish? I think so Mum.

Fish But will it save the planet?

Parrot My friend, there is much to be done and many miles to be travelled but I think it could be done. You see if all the human beings on the whole planet work together to change things and make them better, then anything is possible. I think it is time to go.

Fish Will I see my family again?

FADE UP SUPERMAN SO THAT WE CAN STILL HEAR WORDS OF PARROT THEN INCREASE VOLUME FOR END OF SCENE.

Parrot That my friend is unwritten. Only time will tell. Lets go.

PARROT AND FISH EXIT AS ISLANDERS WAVE. THEWAVE AND THEN EXIT

FADE OUT SUPERMAN AS ISLANDERS BEGIN TO LEAVE THE STAGE.

BRING ON TEXT ABOUT PACIFIC ISLANDS.

FADE OUT SUPERMAN AND FAE UP WONDERFUL WORLD AND CHANGE TO EARTH AND TEXT.

Firstly I received a call from Carl asking me to supply accessories for the production. They were to be futuristic and suggest Robots.  I was not initially involved with the young people as I worked from home. I was told I did not need to attend workshops as there was not to be any making, so to look for futuristic looking necklaces and bracelets and things that would accessorise black clothes.
I had a meeting with Carl and Rachael when they asked me for more accessories such as:
Futuristic looking Ties (for the School Children)
Caps and wire mouth pieces for the Robot Police and Sunglasses  (They would get their own ties)
Remote control
Walking stick (I had one and some of the children put silver tape around it to make it look futuristic on the day of performance)
Thinking caps
Accessories for a group of Robots.
Pom poms and streamers for the carnival scene

I was also asked for some futuristic looking toys. I said I had access to hundreds of plastic balls so maybe they would do sprayed silver. Rachael mentioned stage set so I suggested they could maybe glue lots of these together to make mounds that could be placed on the stage.
I spent a couple of days out scouting through Sefton play council, poundland and other shops gathering things I thought would look futuristic.  I thought of various ideas for thinking caps but spotted some owl masks.. I thought as Owls are noted to be wise, that these would be ideal.
I bought some sliver necklaces and bangles and pom poms but could not find any shakers so I bought thin florists ribbon and some children's dressing up headdresses from poundland and spent an evening cutting the ribbon and attaching it to the headdressess as these were ideal handles. These also had a little skirt with them which I thought would be great for the children with learning difficulties to use in the carnival scene as they could wrap them around their wrists. (Rachael wore these on the show)

I saw some silver wigs which I thought were futuristic looking and called Carl to see if he could use them. He said they would do for the futuristic school children.
I brought the streamers, glasses and necklaces/bangles to Hope St to give to Carl so they could work with them in the workshops.
Various phone calls followed with updates of what was needed...i.e.
Futuristic Scanner
Two Air Stewardess hats
Two dresses for girls that were in the Time machine scene (one needed flowers/hat to look like she had been on holiday) these needed 2 pairs of sunglasses too
More thinking caps
More Scanners (I ended up using sink plungers sprayed silver)
Carl also asked for something that the school children could put on (sashes or something) that would look strange in as the time travellers would comment on their strange attire. I decided on some silver fabric, cut into yokes, for around their neck.
I had difficulty sourcing silver ties so I bought some silver fabric to cut into strips.
I found cheap caps in Tesco and decorated them with silver glitter (there were 14 of these)
I also found some silver florist mesh and used this as cuffs for the robots. I attached these with silver pipecleaners.

Rachael had also asked for glow sticks for other characters. (Poundland again)
I had also bought a silver car window sunscreen that I thought would come in handy (which it did when I found on the performance day that I had some extra robots). Would use this stuff again it was great. (Only a pound in poundland)
I sprayed loads of plastic balls and strung them together so they could be used as set but they were not needed.
Some were used as the futuristic toys though.
I went to one of the schools to try two dresses (Which I had in my prop box) on the young time travellers so I could take them in. I found some cheap black tights which I bought to complete this outfit and told the girls to wear their pe pumps (they forgot them). I also gave one of them thick pipecleaners to put in her hair, and bought a sunhat for the traveller...

I also brought along two red wigs of my own which were used for the Airhostesses
I was present at the performance and helped the 90 odd children adorn their accessories, with the help of Rachael (Thank goodness).  As usual, mad last minute makes and forgotten bits of costume, the robot police did not get their own ties which meant a bit of swopping round and really hectic day.
And as usual, all ended up well. (Phew!!).

Ronnie Kelly - Designer

Session One

After a name game and a couple of rounds of splat we brainstormed our theme and yet again filled a huge sheet of paper with ideas. It was great to see and hear their enthusiasm for our project. I was very excited to hear that this group were keen to include beat-boxing and street dance in their scene.

I shared with the group the story so far and asked for their ideas for scene three. The boys asked if the little fish could meet human beings next and the girls suggested that the fish should travel to the Caribbean. I asked the group if we could change the destination to Africa as I had gained some interesting facts about water in Africa and the future. I found out that some members of our group had been born in Africa so this new suggestion was perfect.

By the end of the session we had a basic outline for scene 3 –

Little Fish arrives in Kenya and swims inland. He hears a strange sound coming from the trees. The fish stops to listen. A line of children walk by with buckets on their heads. 2 of the children are beat-boxing. The children decide to stop for a while. They begin to sing and dance. The little fish watches. The children see him. He is sad that he cannot dance like them. They tell him that “everyone can do something” and ask him what he can do. He tells them that he loves to *paint. He shows them his painting. It is of his family and it his “vision of the future”. He dreams that he will be reunited with his family and wishes that he could find them and see them again.

• This idea arose as one of our group members told us that he loves to paint and would prefer not to dance. He is very happy to be playing the little fish in this scene.

We’re not sure yet what will happen next but I imagine the African children will help the fish somehow. I would very much like it if our fish could continue with his journey and end up in the Pacific Ocean. I have discovered that due to increasing sea levels, islands in the Pacific are under threat. Two have already disappeared.

First Session

I met with the group on Monday afternoon and spent a very enjoyable 2 hours in their company.

We firstly put our heads together and talked about water and the future. Their ideas were brilliant and we managed to fill two huge sheets of paper with our thoughts.

I told the group that they would be creating the beginning of our story and with this news they suggested some fabulous ideas.

I shared some facts and figures regarding water and the future and together we came up with the following rough outline for scene one:

We meet a family of *Mediterranean fish going about their daily life. There is a Nan and Grandad, two teenage brothers, three aunties, an elder sister and a younger brother. (Our fish are talking, walking, singing and dancing fish!)

The group worked in their sub groups and devised short scenes to share. We watched the Nan and Grandad argue and Grandad talk about heading off “to The Anchor for a pint!” and we saw the teenage brothers arguing over their “Fishbox 360!”

There was a suggestion that the fish family sing “You are my sunshine” with the last line of the song ending with “Please don’t take my fishy away”

The scene will end with the family being caught in a huge net. The youngest fish however, will break free and it will be his/her story that we follow in our play. The little fish will be on some kind of quest.

* I told the group that 20% of all Mediterranean fish have disappeared due to over fishing

Generation 21 – Network C, Subgroup 2 

This group is still to meet – this will be arranged for first thing in April.

The practical sessions will be delivered weekly between April and June.
The plan is to perform this piece with the other two groups from network C on July 1st in a city centre venue.

Network C has overall themes of water, earth, and sky – group 2 is dealing with the Water, which is ideal as this groups mainly consists of schools from the Dingle area of Liverpool which is very close to the River Mersey.

We will report back once we have had our meeting in April.