Badjelly's Bad Christmas
Encyclopedia
Badjelly's Bad Christmas was a play created and performed by the Chickenshed Theatre Company, based on the works of Spike Milligan
. It followed the journey of two arguing sisters, Kate and Laura, who had gone to visit their Grandad for the Christmas after they pushed their mother to the verge of mental breakdown. When they arrived at their Grandad's house they realised that he had acquired a new girlfriend. His own wife had died two years previously. It turned out that his new girlfriend, who claimed she was called Barbara Jelly, was in fact the evil witch Badjelly.
The show was fully interpreted with British Sign Language
by on stage signers, who were fully included in the action, and on some of the performances the show was captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing. It ran from 1 December 2010 until the 15th January 2011. It was directed by Mary Ward and Louise Perry, and the writer was Dave Carey.
use only. The definition of theatre use excludes the use of this production in places such as schools, oil rigs, prisons, sweet shops, sweatshops..." it then goes on in this manner for a long time, the places getting more and more ridiculous each time, until at the end it gives a random address in the area. This announcement is followed by "I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas". The song is then interrupted by a loud smashing of glass, and the mother of the two main characters, Kate and Laura, tells them off for stopping the song. Kate offers her mother some tablets for the stress (which Kate, being 8, called Smarties). Her mother refuses them, saying that she doesn't need any tablets, and says she is sending them to Grandad's house. The children are very reluctant, as their Grandad is crazy and has an imaginary world in his head, called the Land of the Bumbly Boo, but they give in and leave for Grandad's house.
This is then followed by "Walking Backwards for Christmas" again, this time not cut off, in which Kate and Laura travel by train
to Grandad's house. During the train
ride, two children and their mother (played by Dina Williams) are arguing. Kate and Laura then have an argument in which Kate states that if she had one wish
, it would be to never ever have to see Laura ever again.
. Then they distract her, and go in to the house. They find Grandad doing a jigsaw puzzle
. This confuses them, as Grandad had never liked jigsaw puzzles, much preferring to skateboard
in the garden
. They learn that Barbara Jelly and Grandad are boyfriend and girlfriend. The couple met on holiday in Scarborough. Laura then asked how long they'd been together, to which Grandad replies "Oh, well, it's early days". This is followed by the song "It's Early Days", in which Grandad proclaims his love for Barbara Jelly, while Barbara Jelly tries to maim him, and on one occasion, Kate, which she disguises as dancing. At the end of the song they attempt to kiss, but they're interrupted by Kate asking if Grandad will show her his magic baubles. The "magic baubles" are 5 baubles which each hold a figurine
of one of the characters in Grandad's imaginary world.
Grandad goes through all the baubles in turn, explaining what each one represents. The baubles are:
Laura, who is passing the baubles to Grandad then says that the fifth one is broken. Grandad initially refuses to believe her, until she pours the smashed remains of the outer shell of the bauble on to the floor
.
The fifth bauble represents evil
, and should hold a figure
of Badjelly. However the figure
is missing, and Grandad says this means Badjelly is somewhere around them. Grandad then realises that Barbara Jelly appeared on the very same day he brought his baubles on the coach
to Scarborough, and "Barbara Jelly" confirms that she is in fact, Badjelly the Witch. She hints that she has plans to turn The Land of the Bumbly Boo evil
, before she promptly escaped to the Land of the Bumbly Boo, Grandad's "imaginary" world, taking the baubles with her.
, the owner of the baubles can make a wish
. He thinks that Badjelly has stolen the baubles, which she will put on her Christmas tree
and as she said, turn the Land of the Bumbly Boo evil
. He says they have to follow her and get the baubles back. The only way to travel to the Land of the Bumbly Boo is by "B.E.D.S.I.R.", which stands for Best Ever Driving Scheme Invented Recently. He then reveals that the B.E.D.S.I.R. is in fact, what they thought was a broken chair
in his living room
. Laura says that she thinks the whole thing is completely stupid, and starts saying things such as "You don't know what it's like to do the things I've done, and to care". Grandad gets slightly worried about her, until Kate tells him that they're just quotes from various vampire
-related TV shows and books, such as Twilight
. Kate says that she thinks they should put a stake
through her heart
, but her Mum
has told her that it's just a phase
. Laura then asks if the B.E.D.S.I.R. has a key
, which it doesn't. It is what Grandad calls a "push start" B.E.D.S.I.R., essentially meaning they have to push it. They then push the B.E.D.S.I.R. ten and a half feet across the lounge, before Grandad says they're in the Land of the Bumbly Boo, which confuses Laura and Kate because they don't appear to have moved very far at all.
Suddenly there is a blackout, and they find themselves surrounded by a tribe of Bumbly Boos - creatures dressed in red, white and blue, with glowing hands, and blue war-paint on their faces. We then learn more about Bumbly Boos, in the song "In the Land of the Bumbly Boo", while The Bumbly Boos attempt to kill Grandad, Kate and Laura using their spears, until their leader, Sir Nobonk recognises Grandad from his last visit.
At first, Sir Nobonk appears to be knighting people, while saying the words "Arise Sunny". This confuses Laura and fascinates Kate, but Grandad says that he is in fact "knighting and daying" people.
Sir Nobonk, in his excitement of having recognised Grandad, knights and days the remaining few of his Bumbly Boos whom he has not already knighted. He is fascinated by the fact that Grandad has both children and grandchildren, and says that they must have a party
to celebrate this fact. He then sends the Bumbly Boos off to find the Mayor Naise, after it turns out he has no servants to help with preparations for the party
, because he's knighted them all. However, he seems to forget about the party
soon afterwards, as it isn't mentioned again.
Kate explains Grandad's situation to Sir Nobonk, and after commenting on Grandad's bad choice in girlfriend
s, Sir Nobonk says they need King Twytt to help them.
King Twytt then arrives on a tricycle
, along with his Twytts, Queen Twytt and Mayor Naise, and we learn about King Twytt through the song "He's the Twytt of the Highest Order". King Twytt and his Twytts are trying to make Queen Twytt laugh, because she doesn't find anything funny anymore. After several unsuccessful attempts, they give up, and Grandad and Sir Nobonk tell King Twytt about the situation they're in. King Twytt reacts by laughing hysterically, then realising they are in a very sticky situation. He then says they need someone cleverer than him to sort it out, and they go off in search of The Werkling.
and a nurse respectively, before Badjelly arrives cheerfully telling them that she's hatched an evil
plan
. She tells them all about and it, and they then excitedly put the baubles on their Christmas tree
, but nothing happens. They're all very confused, until they realised that as they stole the baubles, they are not the rightful owners. Kate was the last owner of the baubles, as she handed them all to Badjelly. They then make a plan to kidnap Kate, and turn her in to one of them so she will wish for the Land of the Bumbly Boo to become evil.
After much thought and telling a long story in nonsense about Badjelly, he concludes that they must "follow the string", reasoning that "String is a very important thing. Rope is thicker but string is quicker." They find a long red string running out of the Ning Nang Nong, which they follow.
They then arrive in a field, where Badjelly, Wobble and Ice Cream are waiting for them. It turns out the string was actually a trap, set up by Badjelly to lure to kidnap Kate.
saying "Due to circumstances beyond our control, the second half will begin shortly."
Then Sir Nobonk accidentally think it's the end of the show, and says goodbye to the audience and gives them instructions for what to do as they leave (flirting with several of them as he does so) in the song "The Party's Over". The signers then come on, and tell Sir Nobonk to apologise to the audience for the confusion. He does this, and ends his song with the words "Hello, hello, hello, hello!"
, which turns out to be a wheelbarrow
. The taxi
driver then makes an excuse to leave, and "drives" away.
and advice about what to do when you're arguing, which have been driving Laura mad for years, very very boring. Kate also doesn't want to become evil, so they tell her about their childhood in the song "The Beauty of our Childhood" in the hope it'll make her want to become evil with them. Their plan succeeds, and Kate turns evil.
in brightly coloured ribbons. Coincidentally, soon after their arrival, Badjelly, Wobble, Ice Cream and Kate arrive.
, laughter
, bravery, and wit
in her hand. Laura tries to tell the judge that she's been turned evil, but the Judge tells her if it's what Kate wants to wish, so be it. But then Grandad claims that Badjelly tried to kill Sir Nobonk in the duel, so the judge says they should have a joust to settle the argument. This is met by cheering from the jurors, but then the Conkerer decides that they have to have a hip hopera, a rap
battle of nonsense
. Whoever raps the best nonsense wins. This commences "The Itchy Koo Hip Hopera".
First it is King Twytt's go, and he raps a story about jam. Then Wobble and Ice Cream do their rap using only nonsense words. Badjelly raps a story about eels, and then Sir Nobonk raps a story about a doctor. Then Wobble, Ice Cream and Badjelly sing a story about a "Wiggle-Woggle", who has a stomach ache. This knocks out Sir Nobonk, King Twytt and The Werkling, and Wobble, Ice Cream and Badjelly are convinced they've won. However, slowly King Twytt comes round and gives the microphone to The Werkling, who is terrified as he has never performed a nonsense rap in his life. However, it turns out he is in fact incredibly good at nonsense, and he wins the hip hopera. However, Badjelly, Wobble and Ice Cream refuse to accept the decision, and storm off with Kate, yelling that they'll get their way.
He then walks out of the dream, and hears Grandma's voice telling him that he doesn't need baubles to be funny, brave or kind, and to show Kate that he loves her to stop her being evil, because love conquers all.
. The Judge insists on punishing him, based on the fact that he was there when the joke
was made. He then asks for the "Royal Jelly", and on comes Mayor Naise, holding a red jelly with whipped cream
on top. The Conkerer is then "jellied" in the face, but Badjelly says that that was just plain cruel. Sir Nobonk , while handing The Conkerer a towel
, says it's just a bit of fun, and Badjelly realises that she can be funny instead of mean. She then makes friends with Queen Twytt, and they leave to go shopping
.
Suddenly, the train
from the Land of the Bumbly Boo to reality
comes, and Grandad, Kate and Laura have to go home
.
When they arrive home
, they realise that Kate still has a wish
left. Laura expects Kate to wish
to never have to see her again, as she said on the journey to Grandad's house. However, Kate decides to save her wish
for when she needs it. Then Mum
calls and tells them it's time to go home, but says that they can come over again after Christmas
.
Halfway through the song, the Conkerer, Sir Nobonk, Badjelly, King Twytt, Queen Twytt, Wobble and Ice Cream also enter. They are soon followed by more creatures from the Land of the Bumbly Boo, (the rest of the cast), and by the end of the song, the whole cast are on stage.
is projected on to a piece of set.
fully integrated. On some nights it was captioned for the deaf, and audio described for the blind. The theatre was, and still is, wheelchair accessible.
The Stage
magazine said "The nonsense of Spike Milligan meets the madness of Chickenshed and the results are suitably deranged.", which the company considered a good thing. They went on to say "Dave Carey has achieved the playwright’s equivalent of nailing jelly to a wall", and as for the signers, they said "it’s all duplicated just to the side of the main action as three brilliant young performers not just sign but enact the entire piece in a virtual mini play within a play." However, they also said "A little more fire in its bad belly in the first half and a little less from the band - in danger of drowning out those hilarious lyrics - and I’m sure Milligan will be dancing and blowing raspberries from the wings."
A Younger Theatre said "It’s a little off-the-wall, but absolutely a joy and delight to watch." and commented on the energy of the cast, "It’s fun, it’s bursting with imagination, and the cast gives more energy in one single show than half of the shows I saw last year put together", the staging "Where Badjelly really excels is the continual revealing of new devices, characters, and methods of presenting the story to the audience", and the signers "The on-stage signing ... was excellently presented to be part of the action". They also commented on the attitude of the performers and staff "It’s not often that a venue affects me as much as a show, but you can tell that rooted at the heart of Badjelly’s Bad Christmas is the support, determination and love from the staff and the young people involved." This was generally considered one of the best reviews the show got.
One audience member said "It was absolutely fantastic...Chickenshed is really good at doing some real stuff, and just stretching your mind, and you think "How is all this working?" They also commented on the use of a German wheel in the Ning Nang Nong scene and the final bows, saying "There's a big wheel that comes across the stage with two fantastic male dancers".
Other comments included:
One blogger said " The rap battle scene has the audience in fits of laughter and the directing of Louise Perry and Mary Ward should be congratulated, as the stage is buzzing with energy." She too commented on the signers, saying "They dance, act and sign the show for any audience members who may be deaf or hard of hearing. They are in fact so outstanding there comes a point when you realise, rather than watching the characters, you are instead watching them, especially as it is not every day you see rapping being translated to sign language."
All performers who are either a youth theatre, children's theatre or lunar theatre member are put on a rota, either Red, Yellow, Blue or Green, and the performances are shared out equally between all the rotas. Green rota has no performances during the annual Christmas holidays. All students at Chickenshed are put on more than one rota.
The fixed cast is made up of adults who perform with Chickenshed for a living, usually referred to as the professional company. The fixed cast do all the performances.
The understudies are usually students, who are put on rotas as usual, except of course if they are needed as an understudy they are expected to turn up regardless of whether or not their rota performs on that day.
There were originally three rotas, along with a fixed cast. The same system is used today, except with four rotas.
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
. It followed the journey of two arguing sisters, Kate and Laura, who had gone to visit their Grandad for the Christmas after they pushed their mother to the verge of mental breakdown. When they arrived at their Grandad's house they realised that he had acquired a new girlfriend. His own wife had died two years previously. It turned out that his new girlfriend, who claimed she was called Barbara Jelly, was in fact the evil witch Badjelly.
The show was fully interpreted with British Sign Language
British Sign Language
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom , and is the first or preferred language of some deaf people in the UK; there are 125,000 deaf adults in the UK who use BSL plus an estimated 20,000 children. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands,...
by on stage signers, who were fully included in the action, and on some of the performances the show was captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing. It ran from 1 December 2010 until the 15th January 2011. It was directed by Mary Ward and Louise Perry, and the writer was Dave Carey.
Prologue - The Children go on a Journey
The show starts with a mockery of the notice commonly seen at the beginning of films stating where it can be shown. It states "This production is licensed for theatreTheatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
use only. The definition of theatre use excludes the use of this production in places such as schools, oil rigs, prisons, sweet shops, sweatshops..." it then goes on in this manner for a long time, the places getting more and more ridiculous each time, until at the end it gives a random address in the area. This announcement is followed by "I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas". The song is then interrupted by a loud smashing of glass, and the mother of the two main characters, Kate and Laura, tells them off for stopping the song. Kate offers her mother some tablets for the stress (which Kate, being 8, called Smarties). Her mother refuses them, saying that she doesn't need any tablets, and says she is sending them to Grandad's house. The children are very reluctant, as their Grandad is crazy and has an imaginary world in his head, called the Land of the Bumbly Boo, but they give in and leave for Grandad's house.
This is then followed by "Walking Backwards for Christmas" again, this time not cut off, in which Kate and Laura travel by train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
to Grandad's house. During the train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
ride, two children and their mother (played by Dina Williams) are arguing. Kate and Laura then have an argument in which Kate states that if she had one wish
Wish
A wish is a hope or desire for something. Fictionally, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used.-In literature:...
, it would be to never ever have to see Laura ever again.
Scene I - And arrive at Grandad's House
The children arrive at Grandad's house, and are greeted with a very frosty reception by a woman called Barbara Jelly, who doesn't allow them in to the houseHouse
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
. Then they distract her, and go in to the house. They find Grandad doing a jigsaw puzzle
Jigsaw puzzle
A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of numerous small, often oddly shaped, interlocking and tessellating pieces.Each piece usually has a small part of a picture on it; when complete, a jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture...
. This confuses them, as Grandad had never liked jigsaw puzzles, much preferring to skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
in the garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
. They learn that Barbara Jelly and Grandad are boyfriend and girlfriend. The couple met on holiday in Scarborough. Laura then asked how long they'd been together, to which Grandad replies "Oh, well, it's early days". This is followed by the song "It's Early Days", in which Grandad proclaims his love for Barbara Jelly, while Barbara Jelly tries to maim him, and on one occasion, Kate, which she disguises as dancing. At the end of the song they attempt to kiss, but they're interrupted by Kate asking if Grandad will show her his magic baubles. The "magic baubles" are 5 baubles which each hold a figurine
Figurine
A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...
of one of the characters in Grandad's imaginary world.
Grandad goes through all the baubles in turn, explaining what each one represents. The baubles are:
- Honour, which holds a figurine of Sir Nobonk
- Laughter, which holds a figurine of King Twytt
- Wisdom/wit, which holds a figurine of The Werkling
- Courage, which holds a figurine of the Conkerer
Laura, who is passing the baubles to Grandad then says that the fifth one is broken. Grandad initially refuses to believe her, until she pours the smashed remains of the outer shell of the bauble on to the floor
Floor
A floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology...
.
The fifth bauble represents evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
, and should hold a figure
Figure
Figure may refer to:*A shape, drawing, or representation*Figure, wood appearance*Musical figure, distinguished from musical motif*Shaping a mirror on a reflective telescope*Noise figure, in telecommunication*Dance figure, an elementary dance pattern...
of Badjelly. However the figure
Figure
Figure may refer to:*A shape, drawing, or representation*Figure, wood appearance*Musical figure, distinguished from musical motif*Shaping a mirror on a reflective telescope*Noise figure, in telecommunication*Dance figure, an elementary dance pattern...
is missing, and Grandad says this means Badjelly is somewhere around them. Grandad then realises that Barbara Jelly appeared on the very same day he brought his baubles on the coach
Coach
-Transportation:* Coach , an automotive vehicle for long-distance travel** Coach , the mode of transport using such vehicles** Coach USA, an American bus transport company** Coach Canada, a Canadian bus transport company...
to Scarborough, and "Barbara Jelly" confirms that she is in fact, Badjelly the Witch. She hints that she has plans to turn The Land of the Bumbly Boo evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
, before she promptly escaped to the Land of the Bumbly Boo, Grandad's "imaginary" world, taking the baubles with her.
Scene 2 - The Adventure Begins
Grandad reveals that The Land of the Bumbly Boo is in fact, real, and it is based on the five baubles that he owns. If all the baubles are united on a Christmas treeChristmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
, the owner of the baubles can make a wish
Wish
A wish is a hope or desire for something. Fictionally, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used.-In literature:...
. He thinks that Badjelly has stolen the baubles, which she will put on her Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
and as she said, turn the Land of the Bumbly Boo evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
. He says they have to follow her and get the baubles back. The only way to travel to the Land of the Bumbly Boo is by "B.E.D.S.I.R.", which stands for Best Ever Driving Scheme Invented Recently. He then reveals that the B.E.D.S.I.R. is in fact, what they thought was a broken chair
Chair
A chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...
in his living room
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
. Laura says that she thinks the whole thing is completely stupid, and starts saying things such as "You don't know what it's like to do the things I've done, and to care". Grandad gets slightly worried about her, until Kate tells him that they're just quotes from various vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
-related TV shows and books, such as Twilight
Twilight
Twilight is the time between dawn and sunrise or between sunset and dusk, during which sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere illuminates the lower atmosphere, and the surface of the earth is neither completely lit nor completely dark. The sun itself is not directly visible because it is below...
. Kate says that she thinks they should put a stake
Stake
Stake may refer to:* @stake, a computer services company* Equity stake, a share or interest in a business or investment* "Stake", a tent peg* Stake -Military:* Sudis , a fortification carried by Roman legionaries...
through her heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
, but her Mum
Mum
Mum or Mums may refer to:* Mum, an informal British English term for mother* short for chrysanthemum, a plant* Bamoun or Mum, a sultanate of present-day Cameroon* Mum, Burma, a village* Mum language, a language spoken in Papua New Guinea...
has told her that it's just a phase
Phase
-In physics:*Phase , a physically distinctive form of a substance, such as the solid, liquid, and gaseous states of ordinary matter**Phase transition is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase to another*Phase...
. Laura then asks if the B.E.D.S.I.R. has a key
Key (lock)
A key is an instrument that is used to operate a lock. A typical key consists of two parts: the blade, which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow, which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. The blade is usually intended to...
, which it doesn't. It is what Grandad calls a "push start" B.E.D.S.I.R., essentially meaning they have to push it. They then push the B.E.D.S.I.R. ten and a half feet across the lounge, before Grandad says they're in the Land of the Bumbly Boo, which confuses Laura and Kate because they don't appear to have moved very far at all.
Suddenly there is a blackout, and they find themselves surrounded by a tribe of Bumbly Boos - creatures dressed in red, white and blue, with glowing hands, and blue war-paint on their faces. We then learn more about Bumbly Boos, in the song "In the Land of the Bumbly Boo", while The Bumbly Boos attempt to kill Grandad, Kate and Laura using their spears, until their leader, Sir Nobonk recognises Grandad from his last visit.
At first, Sir Nobonk appears to be knighting people, while saying the words "Arise Sunny". This confuses Laura and fascinates Kate, but Grandad says that he is in fact "knighting and daying" people.
Sir Nobonk, in his excitement of having recognised Grandad, knights and days the remaining few of his Bumbly Boos whom he has not already knighted. He is fascinated by the fact that Grandad has both children and grandchildren, and says that they must have a party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
to celebrate this fact. He then sends the Bumbly Boos off to find the Mayor Naise, after it turns out he has no servants to help with preparations for the party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
, because he's knighted them all. However, he seems to forget about the party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
soon afterwards, as it isn't mentioned again.
Kate explains Grandad's situation to Sir Nobonk, and after commenting on Grandad's bad choice in girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
s, Sir Nobonk says they need King Twytt to help them.
King Twytt then arrives on a tricycle
Tricycle
A tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school-age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the United States and Canada, adult-sized tricycles are used primarily by older persons for...
, along with his Twytts, Queen Twytt and Mayor Naise, and we learn about King Twytt through the song "He's the Twytt of the Highest Order". King Twytt and his Twytts are trying to make Queen Twytt laugh, because she doesn't find anything funny anymore. After several unsuccessful attempts, they give up, and Grandad and Sir Nobonk tell King Twytt about the situation they're in. King Twytt reacts by laughing hysterically, then realising they are in a very sticky situation. He then says they need someone cleverer than him to sort it out, and they go off in search of The Werkling.
Scene 3 - Meanwhile on the other side of town
Badjelly's sisters, Wobble and Ice Cream arrive back to the Land of the Bumbly Boo after a day of pretending to be a nunNun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and a nurse respectively, before Badjelly arrives cheerfully telling them that she's hatched an evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
plan
Plan
A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with timing and resources, used to achieve an objective. See also strategy. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions, through which one expects to achieve a goal...
. She tells them all about and it, and they then excitedly put the baubles on their Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
, but nothing happens. They're all very confused, until they realised that as they stole the baubles, they are not the rightful owners. Kate was the last owner of the baubles, as she handed them all to Badjelly. They then make a plan to kidnap Kate, and turn her in to one of them so she will wish for the Land of the Bumbly Boo to become evil.
Scene 4 - They come to the place where the Cows go Bong
As Grandad, Kate, Laura, Sir Nobonk and King Twytt near The Werkling's Factory (aka The Ning Nang Nong), they are all given earmuffs because the factory is incredibly loud. They then finally arrive at the factory, which is full of Werkers, creatures which are part machine. We learn about the factory in the song "On the Ning Nang Nong", and we then meet the Werkling. King Twytt and Sir Nobonk then tell the Werkling what's happened, and the Werkling claims that he knows it all already.After much thought and telling a long story in nonsense about Badjelly, he concludes that they must "follow the string", reasoning that "String is a very important thing. Rope is thicker but string is quicker." They find a long red string running out of the Ning Nang Nong, which they follow.
They then arrive in a field, where Badjelly, Wobble and Ice Cream are waiting for them. It turns out the string was actually a trap, set up by Badjelly to lure to kidnap Kate.
Scene 5 - And as the sun rises a great duel takes place...
They decide they have to have a duel, Sir Nobonk versus Badjelly. In the end there is no clear winner, but Wobble, Ice Cream and Badjelly succeed in kidnapping Kate.Starts with a goodnight to all
A man comes on the voice-overVoice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
saying "Due to circumstances beyond our control, the second half will begin shortly."
Then Sir Nobonk accidentally think it's the end of the show, and says goodbye to the audience and gives them instructions for what to do as they leave (flirting with several of them as he does so) in the song "The Party's Over". The signers then come on, and tell Sir Nobonk to apologise to the audience for the confusion. He does this, and ends his song with the words "Hello, hello, hello, hello!"
Scene 1 - The Adventure Continues
Grandad says they have to go to the court of the Itchy Koo. Laura gets worried, because she doesn't want to have to walk there. Grandad agrees to get a taxiTaxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
, which turns out to be a wheelbarrow
Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow is a small hand-propelled vehicle, usually with just one wheel, designed to be pushed and guided by a single person using two handles to the rear, or by a sail to push the ancient wheelbarrow by wind. The term "wheelbarrow" is made of two words: "wheel" and "barrow." "Barrow" is a...
. The taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driver then makes an excuse to leave, and "drives" away.
Scene 2 - On the other side of town
Badjelly, Ice Cream and Wobble have kidnapped Kate, but they all, especially Ice Cream, find Kate's long rambling storiesStories
Stories may refer to:* Height of more than one Storey * Stories , a greatest hits compilation album by Randy Stonehill...
and advice about what to do when you're arguing, which have been driving Laura mad for years, very very boring. Kate also doesn't want to become evil, so they tell her about their childhood in the song "The Beauty of our Childhood" in the hope it'll make her want to become evil with them. Their plan succeeds, and Kate turns evil.
Scene 3 - On the way
The judge arrives at the court of the Itchy Koo, and tells us about Noses in "The Nose Song".Scene 4 - They arrive
Grandad, Laura, Sir Nobonk, King Twytt, and The Werkling arrive at the Court of the Itchy Koo, and the Itchy Koos arrive, singing "I wish I were in Itchy Koo land", and decorate the courtroomCourtroom
A courtroom is the actual enclosed space in which a judge regularly holds court.The schedule of official court proceedings is called a docket; the term is also synonymous with a court's caseload as a whole.-Courtroom design:-United States:...
in brightly coloured ribbons. Coincidentally, soon after their arrival, Badjelly, Wobble, Ice Cream and Kate arrive.
Scene 5 - And find themselves in court
The Itchy Kooks decide they need to have a court session to sort it out. Everyone in The Land of the Bumbly Boo turns out to be a juror. The Judge hears both sides of the story, and discovers that Kate is the rightful owner of the baubles. He asks Kate what she wants to with the baubles, to which she replies that she wants to crush honourHonour
Honour or honor is an abstract concept entailing a perceived quality of worthiness and respectability that affects both the social standing and the self-evaluation of an individual or corporate body such as a family, school, regiment or nation...
, laughter
Laughter
Laughing is a reaction to certain stimuli, fundamentally stress, which serves as an emotional balancing mechanism. Traditionally, it is considered a visual expression of happiness, or an inward feeling of joy. It may ensue from hearing a joke, being tickled, or other stimuli...
, bravery, and wit
Wit
Wit is a form of intellectual humour, and a wit is someone skilled in making witty remarks. Forms of wit include the quip and repartee.-Forms of wit:...
in her hand. Laura tries to tell the judge that she's been turned evil, but the Judge tells her if it's what Kate wants to wish, so be it. But then Grandad claims that Badjelly tried to kill Sir Nobonk in the duel, so the judge says they should have a joust to settle the argument. This is met by cheering from the jurors, but then the Conkerer decides that they have to have a hip hopera, a rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
battle of nonsense
Nonsense
Nonsense is a communication, via speech, writing, or any other symbolic system, that lacks any coherent meaning. Sometimes in ordinary usage, nonsense is synonymous with absurdity or the ridiculous...
. Whoever raps the best nonsense wins. This commences "The Itchy Koo Hip Hopera".
First it is King Twytt's go, and he raps a story about jam. Then Wobble and Ice Cream do their rap using only nonsense words. Badjelly raps a story about eels, and then Sir Nobonk raps a story about a doctor. Then Wobble, Ice Cream and Badjelly sing a story about a "Wiggle-Woggle", who has a stomach ache. This knocks out Sir Nobonk, King Twytt and The Werkling, and Wobble, Ice Cream and Badjelly are convinced they've won. However, slowly King Twytt comes round and gives the microphone to The Werkling, who is terrified as he has never performed a nonsense rap in his life. However, it turns out he is in fact incredibly good at nonsense, and he wins the hip hopera. However, Badjelly, Wobble and Ice Cream refuse to accept the decision, and storm off with Kate, yelling that they'll get their way.
Scene 6 - Something has to be done but who will do it
Grandad goes through a period of what could be considered depression, where he says that he's now half the man he was without Grandma here in the song "I'm half the man". He finds Kate sleeping, and manages to walk in to her dream, which is about Grandma. Grandma continues the song "I'm half the man", and essentially tells him that he needs to pull himself together, and to stop wallowing in self pity, and asks him where's that "surly sourpuss" that she once knew got to? She tells him he's twice any man, and to stop "shedding lonely tears".He then walks out of the dream, and hears Grandma's voice telling him that he doesn't need baubles to be funny, brave or kind, and to show Kate that he loves her to stop her being evil, because love conquers all.
Scene 7 - Time to go home
Badjelly then interrupts, telling Kate to make her wish quickly. Kate is about to make the wish, when Grandad tells her in nonsense how much he loves her. Kate then stops being evil, and runs up and hugs Grandad. Then Laura, King Twytt, Queen Twytt, The Werkling, the Conkerer and Sir Nobonk arrive to see the happy scene unfolding. Enraged by the failure of her evil plan, Badjelly shouts "Smelly poo to all of you", which everyone, including Queen Twytt, finds hilarious. King Twytt realised that Badjelly has just made Queen Twytt laugh, and tells her that she is actually quite funny. Badjelly gets very annoyed because no one is scared of her. Then Sir Nobonk reveals that he is actually very attracted to her. She then makes the joke "Have you ever been to Scarborough?" (as Scarborough was where she and Grandad met), which causes the judge to come along, saying that someone has to be punished because that joke was awful. He asks the Conkerer to come forward to be punished, but he protests, saying that he didn't make the jokeJoke
A joke is a phrase or a paragraph with a humorous twist. It can be in many different forms, such as a question or short story. To achieve this end, jokes may employ irony, sarcasm, word play and other devices...
. The Judge insists on punishing him, based on the fact that he was there when the joke
Joke
A joke is a phrase or a paragraph with a humorous twist. It can be in many different forms, such as a question or short story. To achieve this end, jokes may employ irony, sarcasm, word play and other devices...
was made. He then asks for the "Royal Jelly", and on comes Mayor Naise, holding a red jelly with whipped cream
Whipped cream
Whipped cream is cream that has been beaten by a mixer, whisk, or fork until it is light and fluffy. Whipped cream is often sweetened and sometimes flavored with vanilla, in which case it may be called Chantilly cream or crème Chantilly ....
on top. The Conkerer is then "jellied" in the face, but Badjelly says that that was just plain cruel. Sir Nobonk , while handing The Conkerer a towel
Towel
A towel is a piece of absorbent fabric or paper used for drying or wiping. It draws moisture through direct contact, often using a blotting or a rubbing motion. Common household textile towels are made from cotton, rayon, bamboo, nonwoven fibers or a few other materials.-Types of towels:* A bath...
, says it's just a bit of fun, and Badjelly realises that she can be funny instead of mean. She then makes friends with Queen Twytt, and they leave to go shopping
Shopping
Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one....
.
Suddenly, the train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
from the Land of the Bumbly Boo to reality
Reality
In philosophy, reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible...
comes, and Grandad, Kate and Laura have to go home
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
.
When they arrive home
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
, they realise that Kate still has a wish
Wish
A wish is a hope or desire for something. Fictionally, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used.-In literature:...
left. Laura expects Kate to wish
Wish
A wish is a hope or desire for something. Fictionally, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used.-In literature:...
to never have to see her again, as she said on the journey to Grandad's house. However, Kate decides to save her wish
Wish
A wish is a hope or desire for something. Fictionally, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used.-In literature:...
for when she needs it. Then Mum
Mum
Mum or Mums may refer to:* Mum, an informal British English term for mother* short for chrysanthemum, a plant* Bamoun or Mum, a sultanate of present-day Cameroon* Mum, Burma, a village* Mum language, a language spoken in Papua New Guinea...
calls and tells them it's time to go home, but says that they can come over again after Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
.
The Epilogue
Laura, Kate and Grandad are sitting in Grandad's lounge, with the baubles, when suddenly the door opens, and in come several pairs of creatures from the Land of the Bumbly Boo, and they dance to the song "There is a song in man".Halfway through the song, the Conkerer, Sir Nobonk, Badjelly, King Twytt, Queen Twytt, Wobble and Ice Cream also enter. They are soon followed by more creatures from the Land of the Bumbly Boo, (the rest of the cast), and by the end of the song, the whole cast are on stage.
And then...
For the final bows, the casts sing "The Ying Tong Song", and do their bows in character, before character group by group, they leave, leaving Grandad, Kate and Laura on stage. Grandad then wishes the audience a Merry Christmas (and on the performances nearing New Years Eve, a Happy New Year), before exiting with Kate and Laura. To end the show, an image of Spike MilliganSpike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
is projected on to a piece of set.
Principal roles and notable performers
| Character | Description | Blue Cast | Green Cast | Red Cast | Yellow Cast | Understudy | Additional details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grandad | The grandfather of Kate and Laura | Joseph Morton | Joseph Morton | Joseph Morton | Joseph Morton | Paul Harris | Grandad's wife died two years before the story begins |
| Laura | A 15 year old girl, sister of Kate | Sade Morrall | Milly Rolle | Kelly-Anne Campbell Taylor | Molly Coulson-Chard | N/A | N/A |
| Kate | 8 year old girl with a love of nonsense | Annabel Vasey | Natalia Andronikou | Lucy-Mae Beacock | Grace Coulson-Harris | N/A | Kate's costume included a pair of red shoes, because Spike Milligan bought his daughter, Jane, who performed as Grandma, a pair of red shoes that he remained attached to even after Jane ceased to wear them. |
| Badjelly | A witch | Charlotte Bull | Charlotte Bull | Charlotte Bull | Charlotte Bull | Sarah Connolly | N/A |
| Wobble | A witch, sister of Badjelly | Jelena Budimir | Jelena Budimir | Jelena Budimir | Jelena Budimir | Emily Arnold | N/A |
| Ice Cream | Another Witch, also a sister of Badjelly | Belinda McGuirk | Belinda McGuirk | Belinda McGuirk | Belinda McGuirk | Paige Stubley | N/A |
| King Twytt | The King of the Twytts | Gavin May | Gavin May | Gavin May | Gavin May | Marc Picard | N/A |
| Sir Nobonk | A crazy knight, who knights people for no apparent reason | Mark Lees | Mark Lees | Mark Lees | Mark Lees | Will Laurence | N/A |
| Queen Twytt | The Queen of the Twytts | Emma Cambridge | Emma Cambridge | Emma Cambridge | Emma Cambridge | Alice Sidell-Hodgson | N/A |
| The Werkling | The head werker in the Ning Nang Nong | Robin Shillinglaw | Robin Shillinglaw | Robin Shillinglaw | Robin Shillinglaw | Erol Mustafa | N/A |
| The Bongaloo | The Werker's aide | Loren Jacobs | Loren Jacobs | Loren Jacobs | Loren Jacobs | N/A | N/A |
| The Judge | A Judge | Nigel Spurgeon | Nigel Spurgeon | Nigel Spurgeon | Nigel Spurgeon | James Dulay-Jefferson | N/A |
| Grandma | The wife of Grandad | Jane Milligan | Jane Milligan | Jane Milligan | Jane Milligan | N/A | Jane Milligan is the daughter of Spike Milligan Spike Milligan Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the... , the work of whom this play was based around |
| The Signers | The Signers of the Show | JoJo Morrall, Stephanie Dye, Anthony Pickersgill | JoJo Morrall, Stephanie Dye, Anthony Pickersgill | JoJo Morrall, Stephanie Dye, Anthony Pickersgill | JoJo Morrall, Stephanie Dye, Anthony Pickersgill | N/A | Many critics commended Chickenshed on their inclusion of the signers, and the signers for their energy and enthusiasm. |
Act I
- "I'm Walking Backward's for Christmas" - The Cast
- "It's Early Days" - Grandad and Barbara Jelly
- "In the Land of the Bumbly Boo" - The Bumbly Boos and Sir Nobonk
- "He's a Twytt of the Highest Order" - King Twytt, Queen Twytt, Mayor Naise and the Twytts
- "In the Ning Nang Nong" - The Werkling, The Bongaloo and the Werkers
Act II
- "The Party's Over" - Sir Nobonk
- "The Beauty of Our Childhood" - Badjelly, Ice Cream, Wobble
- "The Nose Song" - The Judge
- "I wish I was in Itchy Koo Land" - The Itchy Koos and the Conkerer
- "The Itchy Koo Hip Hopera" - The Cast
- "I'm half the man I was" - Grandad and Grandma
Inclusivity
The Chickenshed Theatre Company was the first company to introduce the idea of inclusive theatre in both performing and watching.Watching
Every performance of Badjelly's Bad Christmas had sign languageSign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
fully integrated. On some nights it was captioned for the deaf, and audio described for the blind. The theatre was, and still is, wheelchair accessible.
Performing
The Chickenshed Theatre Company didn't hold auditions for any of the roles, however all the performers were members of the company. They relied slightly on typecasting, but mainly on previous knowledge of how hard working the members were.Critical Response
Overall, Badjelly's Bad Christmas received very good reviews, and all the critics seemed to agree that it was a very good show, if a little crazy.The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
magazine said "The nonsense of Spike Milligan meets the madness of Chickenshed and the results are suitably deranged.", which the company considered a good thing. They went on to say "Dave Carey has achieved the playwright’s equivalent of nailing jelly to a wall", and as for the signers, they said "it’s all duplicated just to the side of the main action as three brilliant young performers not just sign but enact the entire piece in a virtual mini play within a play." However, they also said "A little more fire in its bad belly in the first half and a little less from the band - in danger of drowning out those hilarious lyrics - and I’m sure Milligan will be dancing and blowing raspberries from the wings."
A Younger Theatre said "It’s a little off-the-wall, but absolutely a joy and delight to watch." and commented on the energy of the cast, "It’s fun, it’s bursting with imagination, and the cast gives more energy in one single show than half of the shows I saw last year put together", the staging "Where Badjelly really excels is the continual revealing of new devices, characters, and methods of presenting the story to the audience", and the signers "The on-stage signing ... was excellently presented to be part of the action". They also commented on the attitude of the performers and staff "It’s not often that a venue affects me as much as a show, but you can tell that rooted at the heart of Badjelly’s Bad Christmas is the support, determination and love from the staff and the young people involved." This was generally considered one of the best reviews the show got.
Public Response
There was a fantastic audience response to Badjelly's Bad Christmas, so much so many of the nights were sold out before the run of the show began, and even on a day when all the roads in the area were iced over, making it dangerous to drive, both performances (the matinee and evening performance) received reasonably large audiences.One audience member said "It was absolutely fantastic...Chickenshed is really good at doing some real stuff, and just stretching your mind, and you think "How is all this working?" They also commented on the use of a German wheel in the Ning Nang Nong scene and the final bows, saying "There's a big wheel that comes across the stage with two fantastic male dancers".
Other comments included:
- "It's a fantastic story for Christmas for the whole family".
- "I love how everyone's getting involved, when they're all on stage, they really enjoyed themselves too."
- "I really enjoyed the performance this evening, it was very energetic, lots of activity, very creative, and really stimulating to watch."
- "I thought the show was amazing, very colourful, it was imaginative. I'm speechless really."
One blogger said " The rap battle scene has the audience in fits of laughter and the directing of Louise Perry and Mary Ward should be congratulated, as the stage is buzzing with energy." She too commented on the signers, saying "They dance, act and sign the show for any audience members who may be deaf or hard of hearing. They are in fact so outstanding there comes a point when you realise, rather than watching the characters, you are instead watching them, especially as it is not every day you see rapping being translated to sign language."
Rotas
In 1994 Chickenshed came up with the concept of having rotas and a fixed cast.All performers who are either a youth theatre, children's theatre or lunar theatre member are put on a rota, either Red, Yellow, Blue or Green, and the performances are shared out equally between all the rotas. Green rota has no performances during the annual Christmas holidays. All students at Chickenshed are put on more than one rota.
The fixed cast is made up of adults who perform with Chickenshed for a living, usually referred to as the professional company. The fixed cast do all the performances.
The understudies are usually students, who are put on rotas as usual, except of course if they are needed as an understudy they are expected to turn up regardless of whether or not their rota performs on that day.
There were originally three rotas, along with a fixed cast. The same system is used today, except with four rotas.
Spike Milligan References
In the play there were many references to Spike Milligan and his work.Act I
- In the book "Silly Verse for Kids" a girl called Laura was mentioned
- In the book "Startling Verse for all the Family", a girl called Kate was mentioned
- Kate's costume included a pair of red shoes, because Spike Milligan bought his daughter, Jane, who performed as Grandma, a pair of red shoes that he remained attached to even after Jane ceased to wear them.
- The song "I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas" was originally composed and sung by the cast of The Goon ShowThe Goon ShowThe Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
- On the train journey, Kate was shown holding the book "A Children's Treasury of Milligan", and read the poem "On the Ning Nang Nong" to her older sister, Laura. She then read the poem "My sister Laura", and when she got to Grandad's house, she read him an excerpt from the poem "Nothing Poem"
- Badjelly the Witch is the main character in the book written by Spike Milligan, Badjelly the Witch: A Fairy Story
- The Land of the Bumbly Boo appears in a poem by Spike Milligan, also named The Land of the Bumbly Boo. It was included in Silly Verse for Kids.
- The song "The Land of the Bumbly Boo" also shares it's lyrics with the poem.
- Sir Nobonk was the main character in the book "Sir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty DragonSir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty DragonSir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty Dragon is a 1982 comedy novel written by Spike Milligan, and the fourth picture book by Milligan after The Bald Twit Lion, Badjelly the Witch and Dip the Puppy.- Overview :The story of Sir Nobonk is a generic parody of Medieval-type...
", written by Spike Milligan - The chorus of "He's the Twytt of the Highest Order" shares it's lyrics with the poem "The Twit."
- King Twytt appeared with the name King Big - Twytt in the story "Sir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty DragonSir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty DragonSir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty Dragon is a 1982 comedy novel written by Spike Milligan, and the fourth picture book by Milligan after The Bald Twit Lion, Badjelly the Witch and Dip the Puppy.- Overview :The story of Sir Nobonk is a generic parody of Medieval-type...
." - The Werkling appeared in the poem titled "Werkling", in Startling Verse for all the Family
- The Song "On The Ning Nang Nong" shared it's lyrics with one of Spike Milligan's most famous poems with the same name. It was in Silly Verse for Kids
- The fact that the Werkling scene was fairly sinister may have shown that, as The Stage magazine said, "All was not sweetness and light in Milligan's world."
- The Werkling's line "String is a very important thing. Rope is thicker but string is quicker" is taken from the poem "String", in "Silly Verse for Kids"
- The duel scene was taken from the book "Sir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty DragonSir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty DragonSir Nobonk and the Terrible Dreadful Awful Naughty Nasty Dragon is a 1982 comedy novel written by Spike Milligan, and the fourth picture book by Milligan after The Bald Twit Lion, Badjelly the Witch and Dip the Puppy.- Overview :The story of Sir Nobonk is a generic parody of Medieval-type...
."
Act II
- "The Nose Song" shares most of it's lyrics with the poem "Gertrude Conk", from the book Unspun Socks from a Chicken's Laundry
- "I wish I were in Itchy Koo land" shared it's lyrics with the poem "Itchy Koo Land" in the book Unspun Socks from a Chicken's Laundry
- The Conkerer appeared in the poem "Conkerer" in the book Unspun Socks from a Chicken's Laundry
- All the raps in the hip hopera were in fact Spike Milligan's poems
- Grandad's period of depression may have reflected Spike's struggle with mental illness
- The use of slapstick comedy when the Conkerer was jellied was similar to the type of comedy on The Goon Show
- The words to "There is a Song in Man" were taken from the quote "Child Songs" by Spike Milligan
- The Ying Tong Song was originally performed on the Goon Show
External links
- The Chickenshed Website http://www.chickenshed.org.uk
- A review of Badjelly's Bad Christmas by The Stage magazine http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/30473/badjellys-bad-christmas
- The official Badjelly's Bad Christmas page http://www.chickenshed.org.uk/498/shows/badjellys-bad-christmas.html
- The Spike Milligan Wikipedia page Spike MilliganSpike MilliganTerence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
- A review of Badjelly's Bad Christmas by A Younger Theatre http://www.ayoungertheatre.com/review-badjellys-bad-christmas-chickenshed-theatre/