A Troublesome Flock: A Mother Goose Play for Children

Title: A Troublesome Flock: A Mother Goose Play for Children

Author: Elizabeth F. Guptill

Release date: January 12, 2018 [eBook #56362]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/56362

Credits: Produced by Emmy, Paul Marshall, MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

A. W. Pinero’s Plays

Price, 50 Cents Each

THE AMAZONS Farce in Three Acts. Seven males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery, not difficult. Plays a full evening.

THE CABINET MINISTER Farce in Four Acts. Ten males, nine females. Costumes, modern society; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening.

DANDY DICK Farce in Three Acts. Seven males, four females. Costumes, modern; scenery, two interiors. Plays two hours and a half.

THE GAY LORD QUEX Comedy in Four Acts. Four males, ten females. Costumes, modern; scenery, two interiors and an exterior. Plays a full evening.

HIS HOUSE IN ORDER Comedy in Four Acts. Nine males, four females. Costumes, modern; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening.

THE HOBBY HORSE Comedy in Three Acts. Ten males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery easy. Plays two hours and a half.

IRIS Drama in Five Acts. Seven males, seven females. Costumes, modern; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening.

LADY BOUNTIFUL Play in Four Acts. Eight males, seven females. Costumes, modern; scenery, four interiors, not easy. Plays a full evening.

LETTY Drama in Four Acts and an Epilogue. Ten males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery complicated. Plays a full evening.

THE MAGISTRATE Farce in Three Acts. Twelve males, four females. Costumes, modern; scenery, all interior. Plays two hours and a half.

Sent prepaid on receipt of price by Walter H. Baker & Company No. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Massachusetts

A Troublesome Flock

A Mother Goose Play for Children

By ELIZABETH F. GUPTILL

BOSTON WALTER H. BAKER & CO.1916

A Troublesome Flock

CHARACTERS

NOTE

Twenty-five characters—ten boys and fifteen girls—are called for but the entertainment can be given by a smaller number by eliminating some parts. The play is so arranged that this can be easily done. No special setting is required. It can be given in any hall or schoolroom.

Time—About forty-five minutes.

Copyright, 1916, by Walter H. Baker & Co.

[3]

COSTUMES

These directions are for those who wish special costumes. These are picturesque and pretty, but not essential. If you do not wish to go to the trouble of making costumes, many of the children may wear their own school suits, being distinguished by what they carry—Bo Peep by her crook, Boy Blue by his horn, etc. Of course, those impersonating the old women must have long dresses.

Old Mother Goose wears a quilted yellow skirt, about to her ankles, a red, pointed waist, and pannier overskirt, also of red. The waist has a chemisette of white. Her shoes are high-heeled, low cut black shoes, with large silver buckles and red heels. Her stockings are red. Her hair is powdered, and combed in any old-fashioned way. Her hat is a tall, pointed one, of black, with a red band. She may have her knitting.

The Old Woman, who lived in a shoe, wears a rusty black dress, made with a straight, full skirt and a basque. She has a white apron and kerchief, old-fashioned square bowed glasses (the frames only, of course), and a white cap, the strings hanging down on either side. Her powdered hair hangs in little curls on each side of her face. She carries a large shoe, cut from pasteboard, and covered with black, which is full to overflowing with dolls. She also has a bunch of switches.

Old Mother Hubbard wears a red skirt, an old-fashioned “polonaise” of some flowered material (large figures), a bib apron, a white kerchief, and either an old-fashioned bonnet, or a ruffled cap. In either case, the strings are tied primly beneath her chin. She might carry a bone. She has black mitts.

The Bachelor’s Wife wears a hoop skirt, and a white dress, the skirt of which is covered with ruffles. The waist may be made in any way that goes well with the skirt. She has a white shawl, white mitts, and a white bonnet trimmed with pink ribbon and rosebuds. This must be bent and soiled by her fall. Her dress must have a mud-stain or two, and be rather rumpled. She carries a satchel or carpet bag.

Contrary Mary wears a dress of some large-flowered goods. The waist is very short and full, the skirt is straight, and very full, after the Greenaway style, and ends about half-way between her knees and ankles. It has a low round neck, and short puffed sleeves. She wears a long string of shells and beads, of different styles and colors, strung anyhow. She has a ruffled white apron, which she wears behind, tied in a large bow in front. On one foot is a white shoe and black stocking, on the other a black shoe and white stocking. On one hand is a long black mitt, on the other, a tan glove. She has a cap on, with the visor behind. One side of her hair is in curls, the other in a braid. She may carry a watering pot. [4]

The Milk Maid wears a dress of pink print or gingham, with the neck cut in a narrow, deep square outline, and edged with a narrow white frill. She has a white bib apron. Her sleeves are rolled above her elbows, and her dress and apron are folded smoothly up and pinned to display a green striped petticoat. She wears white stockings, low black shoes, a coquettish little white sunbonnet, and carries a three-legged milking-stool and a dented pail.

Curly Locks has a white ruffled dress, a pink sash and shoulder ribbons, pink stockings, white shoes, and carries a pink sofa cushion to sit on. She may also have a thimble.

Dingty Diddlety wears a hoop-skirt, and a dress of some material with very large figures. It has a straight, full skirt, gathered on to a plain waist with very full bishop sleeves, gathered into a narrow wristband, which fastens with one button. She has a round collar of lace or linen. At her left side hangs a large outside pocket, or bag. Her hair is parted, combed smoothly down on each side to hide the ears, and gathered into a knot low in the neck. Pin the collar with a large round or oval brooch. Her sleeves and pocket are filled with “gombobbles.” These are made by covering balls of wadding or crumpled tissue paper with orange-colored crepe paper. The “gombobbles” should be the size of small oranges, somewhat flatter. Have as many as her sleeves and pocket will hold.

Cross Patch wears a short-sleeved red dress, and a full gathered pinafore of red and white print, made after the fashion of the pinafores so commonly worn in England. She wears a sunbonnet of red and white checked gingham, which she takes off, and swings crossly, occasionally. Sometimes she pulls up her apron, and sulks into that.

Betty Blue wears an Empire dress of blue, blue stockings, and white shoes. A blue ribbon passes around the very short waist of her dress, and is tied at the left side of the front in four short loops and two long ends which fall to the hem of the skirt. The elbow sleeves are tied around with blue ribbons, as is her hair. She may wear a large hat of shirred blue mull, or no hat, as preferred. When she enters, one shoe is missing.

Jill wears a gingham dress, with a long-sleeved print “tier.” One elbow of this is noticeably patched, the other has a good-sized hole. The tier is trimmed at neck, wrists and bottom with ruffles of the print, which are torn and dangling here and there. It has ties, one of which is ripped off, but hangs with the other in a limp, stringy bow. The back is decorated with a large grass stain; the front by an earth stain and a “barn-door” tear. Her hair hangs loose and tumbled, with no hair ribbon. Her feet are bare. If for any reason the bare feet are not liked, her shoes must be well worn, and her stockings torn. A torn petticoat should show a bit. [5]

Bo Peep wears a short, quilted skirt of blue, with a waist and overskirt of white, flowered with blue. The low, square neck, full elbow sleeves, and overskirt are edged with frills of the goods. The overskirt is looped up over the quilted skirt with blue ribbon bows. She has a large leghorn “flat,” trimmed with forget-me-nots or daisies, tied down, gipsy fashion, with blue ribbon. She carries a long crook, covered with silver paper, with a large blue bow tied just below the crooked part.

Miss Muffett wears a pink dress, with a thin white overdress, with low, round neck and elbow sleeves. The neck, sleeves and bottom of over-slip are edged with ruffles. The slip is caught up a little to show the pink skirt. High under her arms is a broad pink sash, tied in a big bow behind. She has a full mob-cap of the white over pink, with a wired frill, and a pink ribbon passing around crown, and tied in a bow at side or front. Her stockings are pink or white, her shoes white. She carries a spoon.

Rock-a-bye-Baby wears a short white dress with a yoke, short white socks, and slippers. Her short sleeves are tied up with ribbons of baby blue, and she may wear a broad sash of the same color. She has a white lawn baby bonnet, with broad ties. She carries a Teddy Bear.

Baby Bunting is dressed like Rock-a-bye Baby, with pale pink ribbons instead of blue. When she comes in, she wears a coat and bonnet of white bearskin, but as these are too warm to keep on long, Mother Hubbard may help her to remove them before she sits down with Rock-a-bye Baby. She carries a toy rabbit.

The Bachelor wears an old-fashioned suit, with long coat, knee breeches, and a ruffled bosom shirt. He has white stockings, low shoes with big buckles, and a tall hat.

Jack wears a checked gingham shirt, and blue overalls, which bear witness to the fact that he “has fallen into a mud-puddle, flat.” His overalls are rolled up above his knees, and his feet are bare. There should be a patch or two, also a tear, somewhere about him. A battered straw hat is on the back of his head, his hair is uncombed, and he is none too clean. He and Jill have a battered pail. Jack has it when he enters, but Jill has it part of the time, and sometimes they swing it between them.

Tommy Tucker wears gray knickerbockers, a blue Norfolk jacket, blue stockings and cap, and gray belt.

Georgie Porgie wears a brown Greenaway suit, with long trousers buttoned over a short tight waist, in what used to be known as a “broadfall.” He has a white frill collar. He carries a large cloth spider by a string.

Boy Blue wears a blue sailor blouse, blue knickerbockers, a leather belt, to which his horn is fastened by a cord, and a large haymaker’s hat, with a blue band.

Humpty Dumpty is the fattest boy obtainable. He wears a blouse and knickerbockers of red, padded well. Pad his stockings, also, and make him look as round and fat as possible. [6]

Jack Horner wears a gingham “tier” and white frill collar over his trousers in the fashion of little boys of thirty or forty years ago. His trousers come half-way to his ankles, but the tier stops at the knees. It has a strap across the back, and is often below the strap.

Simple Simon wears a carter’s smock frock of brown jean or linen, not too clean, with long loose trousers of the same material. The frock comes to his knees. His hair is mussed. He is eating a pie, which he carries in both hands, with no plate.

Tom, the Piper’s Son, wears a Greenaway suit of gray, with a short round jacket of dark red, and a white turn-down collar. His stockings and cap are red. He carries his pipe, a toy flute.

Wee Willie Winkie wears his “nightgown”—one of the sleeping garments cut with legs, in either white or colored outing flannel. This may have feet, or he may wear bed slippers. Better still, he may have his feet bare. Choose a small, mischievous boy for this part.

Impress each child with the character he is supposed to bear, and have him act it out all the time he is on the stage. The old women pronounce their words in an old-fashioned way.

Mother Goose and Mother Hubbard may knit, the Old Woman tend her babies, Jack and Jill nudge and push one another, or tease others. Miss Muffett sulks, Cross Patch strikes at the boys who tease her, etc. The Bachelor occasionally tries to join some group, but is always brought back by his wife, who lectures him in pantomime. Tom Tucker is all taken up with the Milk Maid. Simon, when not eating, stares, open-mouthed, and backs away from Jack Horner, who is inclined to fight with him. Once in a while, Georgie scares one of the girls with his spider. Contrary Mary refuses to be scared, and tries to catch the spider. Occasionally she waters some one with her watering pot. All this should be in pantomime.

The songs, except where otherwise stated, are sung by all on the stage, except the one they are sung at. The piano should not be in evidence, but just accompany the children to help them keep the tune.

If given in a schoolroom with no curtain, they may all run out after the final “yell.”

The tunes are easily learned by rote, in fact, many of them will be familiar to the children. They can be sung nicely without accompaniment, if given in the schoolroom.

Many of the little boys’ suits worn just now are charmingly picturesque, and have a quaint, old-fashioned air, fitting them perfectly to be “Mother Goose Costumes.”

[7]

A Troublesome Flock

No. 1. BYE-LOW BABY.

[Play Music]

[9]

No. 2. JACK AND JILL.

[Play Music]

No. 3. THE BACHELOR’S WIFE.

(Also, Dingty Diddlety.)

[Play Music]

No. 4. LITTLE MISS MUFFETT.

[Play Music]

No. 5. GEORGIE PORGIE.

(Also, Cross Patch.)

[Play Music]

No. 6. MISTRESS MARY.

[Play Music]

[19]

No. 7. HUMPTY DUMPTY.

[Play Music]

No. 8. ROCK-A-BYE, TEDDY.

[Play Music]

No. 9. THE MILK MAID SONG.

[Play Music]

No. 10. LITTLE TOMMY TUCKER.

[Play Music]

[25]

No. 11. WEE WILLIE WINKIE.

[Play Music]

No. 12. OLD MOTHER HUBBARD.

[Play Music]

[27]

No. 13. BABY BUNTING.

[Play Music]

No. 14. SIMPLE SIMON.

[Play Music]

No. 15. LITTLE JACK HORNER.

[Play Music]

No. 16. LITTLE BO PEEP.

[Play Music]

No. 17. LITTLE BOY BLUE.

[Play Music]

[41]

No. 18. CURLY LOCKS.

[Play Music]

[42]

No. 19. LITTLE BETTY BLUE.

(Also, Sing a Song of Sixpence.)

[Play Music]

No. 20. TOM, TOM, THE PIPER’S SON.

[Play Music]

THE VILLAGE POST-OFFICE

An Entertainment in One Scene by Jessie A. Kelley. Twenty-two males and twenty females are called for, but one person may take several parts and some characters may be omitted. The stage is arranged as a country store and post-office in one. Costumes are rural and funny. Plays a full evening. Full of “good lines” and comical incident and character. Strongly recommended for church entertainments or general use; very wholesome and clean.

Price, 25 cents

MISS FEARLESS & CO.

A Comedy in Three Acts by Belle Marshall Locke. Ten females. Scenery, two interiors; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening. A bright and interesting play full of action and incident. Can be strongly recommended. All the parts are good. Sarah Jane Lovejoy, Katie O’Connor and Euphemia Addison are admirable character parts, and Miss Alias and Miss Alibi, the “silent sisters,” offer a side-splitting novelty.

Price, 25 cents

LUCIA’S LOVER

A Farce in Three Acts by Bertha Currier Porter. Eight females. Costumes, modern; scenery, two interiors. Plays an hour and a half. A bright and graceful piece, light in character, but sympathetic and amusing. Six contrasted types of girls at boarding-school are shown in a novel story. Lots of fun, but very refined. Easy to produce and can be strongly recommended.

Price, 25 cents

A GIRL IN A THOUSAND

A Comedy in Four Acts by Evelyn Gray Whiting. Fourteen females. Costumes, modern; scenes, three interiors and an exterior. Plays a full evening. Very strong and sympathetic and of varied interest. Irish comedy; strong “witch” character; two very lively “kids”; all the parts good. Effective, easy to produce, and can be strongly recommended as thoroughly wholesome in tone as well as amusing.

Price, 25 cents

MRS. BRIGGS OF THE POULTRY YARD

A Comedy in Three Acts by Evelyn Gray Whiting. Four males, seven females. Scene, an interior; costumes, modern. A domestic comedy looking steadfastly at the “bright side” of human affairs. Mrs. Briggs is an admirable part, full of original humor and quaint sayings, and all the characters are full of opportunity. Simply but effectively constructed, and written with great humor. Plays two hours.

Price, 25 cents

TOMMY’S WIFE

A Farce in Three Acts by Marie J. Warren. Three males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery, two interiors. Plays an hour and a half. Originally produced by students of Wellesley College. A very original and entertaining play, distinguished by abundant humor. An unusually clever piece, strongly recommended.

Price, 25 cents

A. W. Pinero’s Plays

Price, 50 Cents Each

MID-CHANNEL Play in Four Acts. Six males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery, three interiors. Plays two and a half hours.

THE NOTORIOUS MRS. EBBSMITH Drama in Four Acts. Eight males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery, all interiors. Plays a full evening.

THE PROFLIGATE Play in Four Acts. Seven males, five females. Scenery, three interiors, rather elaborate; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening.

THE SCHOOLMISTRESS Farce in Three Acts. Nine males, seven females. Costumes, modern; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening.

THE SECOND MRS. TANQUERAY Play in Four Acts. Eight males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening.

SWEET LAVENDER Comedy in Three Acts. Seven males, four females. Scene, a single interior; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening.

THE THUNDERBOLT Comedy in Four Acts. Ten males, nine females. Scenery, three interiors; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening.

THE TIMES Comedy in Four Acts. Six males, seven females. Scene, a single interior; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening.

THE WEAKER SEX Comedy in Three Acts. Eight males, eight females. Costumes, modern; scenery, two interiors. Plays a full evening.

A WIFE WITHOUT A SMILE Comedy in Three Acts. Five males, four females. Costumes, modern; scene, a single interior. Plays a full evening.

Sent prepaid on receipt of price by

Walter H. Baker & Company

No. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Massachusetts

The William Warren Edition of Plays

Price, 15 Cents Each

AS YOU LIKE IT Comedy in Five Acts. Thirteen males, four females. Costumes, picturesque; scenery, varied. Plays a full evening.

CAMILLE Drama in Five Acts. Nine males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery, varied. Plays a full evening.

INGOMAR Play in Five Acts. Thirteen males, three females. Scenery varied; costumes, Greek. Plays a full evening.

MARY STUART Tragedy in Five Acts. Thirteen males, four females, and supernumeraries. Costumes, of the period; scenery, varied and elaborate. Plays a full evening.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Comedy in Five Acts. Seventeen males, three females. Costumes, picturesque; scenery varied. Plays a full evening.

RICHELIEU Play in Five Acts. Fifteen males, two females. Scenery elaborate; costumes of the period. Plays a full evening.

THE RIVALS Comedy in Five Acts. Nine males, five females. Scenery varied; costumes of the period. Plays a full evening.

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER Comedy in Five Acts. Fifteen males, four females. Scenery varied; costumes of the period. Plays a full evening.

TWELFTH NIGHT; OR, WHAT YOU WILL Comedy in Five Acts. Ten males, three females. Costumes, picturesque; scenery, varied. Plays a full evening.

Sent prepaid on receipt of price by

Walter H. Baker & Company

No. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Massachusetts

S. J. PARKHILL & CO., PRINTERS, BOSTON, U.S.A.

Transcriber's Notes:

The cover image was created by the transcriber, and is in the public domain.

Uncertain or antiquated spellings or ancient words were not corrected.

Errors in punctuation and inconsistent hyphenation were not corrected unless otherwise noted.

Typographical errors have been silently corrected but other variations in spelling and punctuation remain unaltered.