CHARACTERS:
Snow
Kay
Gerda
Granny
Raven
Prince
Princess
Maids of honour
Gangster-mother
Gangster-daughter
Gangsters
Narrator
SCENE 1
SCENERY: A room in a poor but tidy house. Granny is sitting in the armchair near the fireplace. She is sleeping. Gerda is reading a book. Kay is sitting near her, doing nothing.
Narrator: Winter…Christmas…New Year…Presents and carols…Snow is falling down. It is warm and snowy. Listen, someone is singing “Jingle, bells” – the oldest and best-known carol. Sing with them.
(A group of children sing the carol)
Snow Queen (looking in the mirror): All the people are merry and happy. Christmas is coming. Children are singing and dancing. But I am so lonely in my palace. Maybe some magic will correct the situation. (breaks the mirror, the children run away screaming)
Kay: Winter has come. Hate summer. Oh! Something has pricked me. Here (shows to his eye) and here (shows to his heart). But it doesn’t matter.
Granny: When it snows like that people say Snow Queen is arriving to look around her kingdom.
Gerda: She might be very beautiful. But she is so cold, her heart is icy. I am afraid of her.
Kay: You are a silly little girl. Look, I’ll open the door and go out. I am not afraid of anybody. (when he comes back, he looks changed.) Such wonderful weather outside and so gloomy at home. I’d rather go for a walk.
Granny: You’d better stay at home. How is your eye?
Kay: There is something like a piece of glass but it doesn’t hurt. I can say I even enjoy it.
Gerda: But it’s awful to have something in your eye. Can I help you?
(Kay laughs and runs away)
Granny: People say it is a piece of Snow Queen’s mirror that brings disaster. It turns into a piece of ice and makes a person heartless. Our Kay can’t live among people now. Maybe Snow Queen has taken him.
Gerda: But I want Kay to be here. I’ll do my best to bring him back home. I’ll go and take Kay from Snow Queen.
Granny: It’s rather dangerous. Be careful, please. Bye, Gerda, dear.
Gerda: Bye, Granny. (kiss each other)
(Gerda runs out of the house. Outside some children sing Christmas songs and dance in a ring. They try to capture Gerda but she runs away. Children cry goodbye to her.)
SCENE 2
SCENERY: A green meadow in front of the palace. A raven guards the gate. Gerda sleeps on the grass. Raven comes to her and wakes her up.
Raven: Why are you sleeping in the royal park, girl? I guess little girls should sleep in their beds like our princess. She lives with the prince in the palace on the hill over there. Would you like to meet her?
Gerda: I’m looking for a boy with blue eyes and hair like wheat. His name is Kay. Do you know him?
Raven: There is a boy in the palace who looks like that. He is a prince. He was so handsome and smart that our princess fell in love with him at once. Maybe it’s your Kay. You may go and look for yourself.
Gerda: May I? Thank you. You are so kind.
(Raven leads Gerda through the park towards the palace. They see the prince and the princess talking. Some maids of honour sit on the bench near the Christmas-tree, decorated with lemons and golden toys, they chat and laugh.)
Prince to Princess: How are you, my dear?
Princess: Not well, thanks. It’s such a boring day.
Prince: Wait a moment! Dancers! (claps his hands)
(Dancers appear, bow to them and dance a waltz)
Prince: Did you like it?
Princess: Yes. (yawns) But I want something more energetic and modern.
Prince: Singers! (claps his hands)
(Maids of honour sing a song “Lemon Tree” and dance. The Prince and the Princess dance together with them. Raven and Gerda appear. The Prince doesn’t notice Gerda at first.)
Gerda: Excuse me, can I ask you? Kay, do you remember me? I’m Gerda, your sister.
Prince: Who are you, girl? I’m sorry, but I don’t know you.
Princess: Who brought that little girl into the garden?
Gerda: It is my fault, princess. Your Raven wanted to help me. I’m looking for my brother Kay. Snow Queen has taken him. Nobody can help me. (cries)
Prince: It’s a pity but I’m not your brother, poor thing. How can we help you?
Gerda: Can you show me the way to the kingdom of Snow Queen?
Raven: Birds told me about the place where she lives. It’s an ice desert and nobody can stay there very long.
Princess: So we will give you a nice fur coat with pockets full of gold. You’ll get a fur cap, a pair of warm boots and mittens. And you won’t be cold when you visit Snow Queen.
(Maids of honour bring a fur coat, a pair of boots and mittens. The Prince helps Gerda to put them on.)
Gerda: Thank you a lot. You are very kind. Goodbye!
All: Goodbye, Gerda.
SCENE 3
SCENERY: An ugly little house in the forest where gangsters live. Gangsters are hiding behind the Christmas-tree, decorated with swords and knives. Suddenly they hear somebody coming and jump out of their shelter.
Gangster-mother: Stop! Hands up! Such a pretty fur coat! I’ve always dreamt of something like that. Let me see your pockets. They are full of gold! (takes some coins and throws them to the gangsters, they fight, trying to get them) Daughter! Would you like to have anything?
Gangster-girl: I hate gold! I hate fur coats! I’ll take this girl to play with. You will tell me stories all day long. If you cry, I’ll kill you with my big knife.
Gerda: You may kill me right now but I can’t stay with you. I’m looking for my brother Kay. Snow Queen has taken him to her ice palace and I want to save him. Can you show me the way to her palace?
Gangster-mother: Sh…Snow Queen is a great magician. If she gets angry with us, she will bring a snowstorm and we’ll catch a cold. (All gangsters cough)
Gangster-daughter: I want to play with you, little girl. What is your name?
Gerda: Gerda. Take my fur coat and high boots but let me go. I want Kay to come home. He is so unhappy and so miserable in the ice desert. If I don’t help him, Kay will die.
Gangster-girl: I can’t let him die and I can’t let you go. What shall I do?
Gangster-mother: Nobody can fight Snow Queen. She is so powerful. But you are so brave that nobody can stop you. Go your way. Farewell and good luck!
(All gangsters say goodbye to Gerda and sing a song. Gerda goes away.)
SCENE 4
SCENERY: An ice hall in Snow Queen’s palace. The Queen sits on her throne and Kay plays with ice.
Snow Queen: Would you like some more ice-cream? You can have as much as you wish.
Kay: No, thanks. I don’t want any.
Snow Queen: Would you like to get a pair of new skates or maybe you prefer watching the magic mirror? There you will see the secrets of the world.
Kay: What’s the use of them if you can’t be happy.
Snow Queen: If you are sad, we’ll play an ice ball, or let’s invite snowstorms. (claps her hands, two girls – snowstorms dance)
Kay: Boring!
Snow Queen: (sees Gerda) Who let you in?
Gerda: Good afternoon, madam! Our granny taught us to be polite. Haven’t you forgotten our granny, Kay?
Kay: Our granny? Who are you, girl?
Gerda: I’m Gerda. I have been looking for you everywhere and you are here, in the palace of Snow Queen. Let’s go home!
Snow Queen: Kay enjoys the beauty of my country. He is staying here. He won’t waste his time on you. But you, girl, go away!
Gerda: Let me kiss him, saying good-bye. (kisses him) Do you remember the blue sky and the bright sun? It’s summer now. The birds are singing and there are a lot of flowers in our garden. Don’t you miss them?
Kay: I miss flowers and the bright sun. I want to go home with you.
Snow Queen: Wait! You will be a prince! You’ll get everything you want!
Kay: But my only wish is to get home. How cold is here. Kiss me once more, Gerda. I’ll get warm.
The End
Методические рекомендации по оформлению сцены и музыкальному сопровождению
Сцена декорирована снежинками, летними и зимними деревьями, посредине сцены стоит трон Снежной королевы, справа от него – елка, украшенная лимонами и золотистыми игрушками. Перед ней – скамеечка для Принца и Принцессы, а за ней – маленькие стульчики для фрейлин, все оформление выдержано в золотистой гамме.
Слева – елка разбойников, украшенная саблями и ножами, с пиратским флагом на верхушке, оформление – в темных тонах.
На авансцене – домик Герды и Кая, на стене камин, перед ним кресло для бабушки, маленькие скамеечки для главных героев.
По ходу пьесы на экране демонстрируются кадры из мультфильма – сказки “Снежная королева”. Для танца разбойников использована музыка из мультфильма “Бременские музыканты”. Придворные танцоры танцуют под вальс Штрауса, фрейлины поют “Lemon Tree”, а разбойники, провожая Герду, поют “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. Использованы рождественские песнопения и песня “В лесу родилась елочка” на английском языке.