Solo. MS & QU the railway cat, All whip heads to QU. unison

Transcription

1 Scene Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat Songs Instrumental: 2 bars repeated ad lib. Crowd movement through intro low level moving, searching, can find a cat friend. MS on SR front. QU SL front. MS Skimbleshanks whip heads to MS. Solo MS & QU the railway cat, All whip heads to QU The cat of the railway train. All heads to front and come up from low positions slowly. There's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty-nine MS & QU to move to platforms at back to oversee the activity. All milling around and animated singing, telling the story, looking for Skimble. When the night mail's ready to depart Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble Heads to audience and stop moving on Skimble where is Skimble (acted) We must find him or the train can't start!" Men form group in centre, ladies form 2 groups in front but on either side of men. All the guards and all the porters Men thumbs under arms as guards and the station-master's daughters ladies run in front of men and curtsey Would be searching high and low Big sway with searching hand to eyes: Men to L with L hand. Ladies to R with R hand Saying "Skimble, where is Skimble for unless he's very nimble Ladies spot Skimble sleeping on the wall and beckon men over towards him. Sharp run into sausage shape. All on different levels. Then the night mail just can't go" All freeze with heads to audience in sausage tableau. SK At eleven forty-two with the signal overdue Skimble climbs down from wall and moves to other end of sausage centre stage. Followed by a couple of cats. Everyone else follow his saunter to the rear with their heads. Page 1 of 5 Revised 24 th January 2014

2 And the passengers all frantic to a man That's when I would appear and I'd saunter to the rear I'd been busy in the luggage van! Skimble is singing to the cats around him. Others are still in sausage tableau with heads towards him. Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes Ensemble - Magic hands to front on flash then begin to move into semi circle around SK. Skimble magic hands flash to cats around him who will drop to floor with backward/shoulder rolls. And the signal went "All clear!" Skimble motif arms. SK They'd be off at last for the northern part of the northern hemisphere! Off Skimble shoos everyone away with both hands. SK keep up stage centre, CB,TM,KO, SB circle round him until they get to their carriage place. After off ensemble moves back, out of the way of dancers/principals, ready for carriages. Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway train. Principal dancers up from audience on either side of stage. Filmed dance crossing across front of stage. Ensemble animated singing towards carriages places (on stage plan) SK You could say that by and large it was me who was in charge Of the sleeping car express. Carriages people sitting in rows hug knees on express From the driver and the guards to the bagmen playing cards SK to act towards men on the pallets Carriages sit cross legged in canon 4 counts I would supervise them all more or less. Down the corridor he paces and examines all the faces lean R SK to walk down the corridors. QU can follow him sneakily. Of the trav lers in the first and the third; lean R He establishes control by a regular patrol lean L SK And I'd know at once if anything occurred. lean R He would watch you without winking SK turns to catch QU following him QU runs to RDF to join MS Begin to come out of carriages keeping in low crawling positions but stay CS. Page 2 of 5 Revised 24 th January 2014

3 TUG,BB & GE move downstage L (top of stairs area) Men move towards wall. 3 ladies in heavyside platform. 4 ladies office stairs. Trio to pallets. and he saw what you were thinking And it's certain that he didn't approve Of hilarity and riot, 2 ensemble on SL close to SK act silly. SK is disapproving so the folk were very quiet SK turns his head twds ensemble on SR they shrink back When Skimble was about and on the move. VA & RT move towards SK and do frog jumps SK looks approvingly at them You could play no pranks with Skimbleshanks 17 girls lie on stomachs on edge of stage He's a cat that couldn't be ignored. & SK (spoken) SK So nothing went wrong on the northern mail girls 3 leg kicks behind When Skimbleshanks was aboard. Instrumental: 4 bars girls split into 2 lines. Stomachs girls wriggle closer together. Paws together in front, legs outstretched, girls behind on knees, hands on thighs. Tell us about the sleeping car It was very pleasant when they'd found their little den With their name written up on the door. Bobs. SK telling story to MS & QU nr SR pros arch. Between pros arch and pallets with trio. Principals Woo, woo SK And the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet on And not a speck of dust on the floor. 6 head nods. Girls roll to L on floor There was every sort of light you could make it dark or bright And a button you could turn to make a breeze. Bobs SK towards MS & QU. And a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in And a crank to shut the window should you sneeze. 6 head nods. Girls roll to R on sneeze but end in random low positions. freeze heads to SK Then the guard looked in politely and would ask you very brightly: SK 4 big walks to L towards girls in CS Page 3 of 5 Revised 24 th January 2014

4 "Do you like your morning tea... Ask girls Ensemble...weak or strong?" spoken SK But I was just behind him and was ready to remind him For Skimble won't let anything go wrong. Girls crawling around CS towards partners. SK singing from CS When they crept into their cozy berth and pulled up the counterpane. OD begins to move to top office position Snuggle up into twos on cozy berth then pull up covers. Loungers to begin moving towards train props (A, T, B) They all could reflect it was very nice To know that they wouldn't be bothered by mice. - 8 sways from wherever They can leave all that to the railway cat Come out of twos into low position Sop Oooh... The cat of the railway train. All big gesture and freeze on cat Begin to move to train places. 1 person to take 2 props to avoid too many people not looking at Sue. Loungers to pass props to train people. Some loungers change places. Heads forward! (A, T, B) Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, repeated Sop Skimbleshanks SK The cat of the railway train! In the watches of the night I was always fresh and bright Train begins to bob Every now and then I'd have a cup of tea With perhaps a drop of Scotch while I was keeping on the watch Only stopping here and there to catch a flea. They were fast asleep at Crewe And so they never knew that I was walking up and down the station, They were sleeping all the while I was busy at Carlisle Where I met the station-master with elation. They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police If there was anything they ought to know about. When they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to wait For Skimbleshanks will help them to get out. Page 4 of 5 Revised 24 th January 2014

5 Train crash Skimble reacts to crash then moves into centre of crash looking worried And he gives you a wave of his long brown tail SK moves quickly from crash circling his tail towards top pallet Begin passing props back to loungers Which says, "I'll see you again". SK do motif arms from top pallet then move down to stage level You'll meet without fail on the midnight mail The cat of the railway train. Still clearing crash then dance (improv) into next places 8 counts instrumental SK walks across front of stage hands behind back followed by dancers inc. principals doing 8 polka steps (pas de basque things) hands behind backs, moving from SR to SL and round towards central group. If not doing polka - form 2 groups but keep moving and improvising. You'll meet without fail on the midnight mail Form group SL and SR facing in on diagonal. The cat of the railway train. SK hand out towards MS steps up mountain one foot at a time to end with back foot on shoulder of MS. Group on either side back hands up towards SK. All different levels. Low at front on one knee front 2 rows then standing back rows. Hand up on train (Applause) Sound effect: crash interrupts applause Macavity dancers exit Page 5 of 5 Revised 24 th January 2014