Just So (musical)
Encyclopedia
Just So is a musical by Anthony Drewe
and George Stiles
written in 1984 based on the
Just So Stories
by Rudyard Kipling. Just So was produced by Cameron Mackintosh
at the Watermill Theatre
and Tricycle Theatre
in England, as well as at the Goodspeed Opera House and North Shore Music Theatre
in the USA. It was subsequently produced at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2005 and for the Tabard Theatre
in 2010.
The Eldest Magician begins by reading a story “before the High and Far-Off Times” to the Best Beloved. As he does so, various indistinguishable animals appear on stage. The Eldest Magician, who created them, was very pleased...until he realized that they all looked the same. He bid the animals to go forth and find out what they were.
All the animals did as the Eldest Magician asked except for Pau Amma the Crab, who vowed to be disobedient and play alone in the waters. He grew and grew and grew, and would go out looking for food twice a day, causing large areas of the land to flood, and so disrupting many of the other animals.
One day when the elephants have gathered round the watering hole, they discuss the tyranny of the Crab. Bursting into the middle of the circle, the Elephant’s Child decides THERE’S NO HARM IN ASKING, and so to the elephants' annoyance he asks a continuous series of questions, all of which they dismiss as “silly”. They are interrupted however by the Crab’s feed and are forced to move to higher ground.
The Elephant’s Child decides to find Pau Amma and make him stop. He finds the Eldest Magician who encourages the flightless Kolokolo Bird to join the Elephant’s Child on a journey to THE LIMPOPO RIVER in search of the Crab.
Travelling in a small raft, the two travellers are thrown off course by a storm created by the Crab and are washed up on an uninhabited island where the Parsee Man and his beloved Cooking Stove can no longer cook after the Crab constantly floods the crops they grow (LIVING ON THIS ISLAND).
The Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird ask the Parsee Man if they may stay and try one of his cakes.. As they chat, Rhinoceros bursts on stage complaining about his THICK SKIN which appears painfully tight. He then continues on his way.
Parsee Man and the cooking stove agree to cook a special cookie made out of the emergency rations as a gift. Along with the various Cake Ingredients (Butter, Sugar and Flour) Parsee Man shows the Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird how to limber up (THE PARSEE CAKEWALK).
Rhino, who smells cake, comes back and tries to blend in amongst the dancing ingredients. Once the cake is completed he leaps forward and greedily rushes off with it, leaving the Parsee Man and the cooking stove vowing to get revenge. The Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird set sail once again.
The raft finally reaches the coast of Africa where they meet the animals on the High Veldt. Giraffe, Koodoo, Eland, Bushbuck, Quagga and Zebra lounge around chatting, whilst Leopard and Jaguar are slowly moving in, hungry for a catch (THE CHASE). The Jaguar and the Leopard realise that the Elephant’s child and the Kolokolo Bird are around and go about surprising them in hope that they will make a good meal. When the Elephant’s Child asks for help in finding the Crab, they offer a deal: they will help find the Limpopo River in exchange for help finding Giraffe and Zebra. When the Elephant’s Child asks why, Jaguar and Leopard cheerfully explain “THEY WANT TO TAKE THE LADIES OUT”. The idea of the cats eating the innocent creatures troubles both of the travellers, who feel they should warn the other animals. He therefore convinces Giraffe and Zebra to “PICK UP YOUR HOOVES AND TROT” and join him and the Kolokolo Bird. The group comes across a jungle where they eventually decide to rest until tomorrow. But the Giraffe and the Zebra stick out, causing concern that the cats may still find them.
The Elephant’s Child discovers the JUNGLE LIGHT, and prays to the Eldest Magician to help use it to camouflage them. The Eldest Magician molds and shapes the light beam to fall on the animals in such a way as to hide the giraffe and zebra. The two are transformed into their permanently patchy and stripey patterns.
But their celebration is interrupted by the sound of crashing waves. The baobab tree collapses allowing allowing sunlight into the clearing and causing chaos. It turns out the Crab rose out of the water, blotting out the sun.
The Crab asks who dares challenge him. The Elephant’s Child speaks up and politely asks the Crab to stop playing with the sea as it causes great havoc for the other animals. Pau Amma laughs and vows to go out and hunt for food seven times a day now so that the waters will never be still.
The Elephant’s Child is now scared and doesn’t know what to do at all. The Kolokolo Bird steps forward and convinces him that they must continue their way to “THE LIMPOPO RIVER” (Reprise) and promises they will think of something to stop the Crab.
Act Two
The Eldest Magician is interrupted by the arrival of the Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird having “THE ARGUMENT”. It appears that they are lost and the two continue to blame each other until the Elephant’s Child runs off, having called the Kolokolo Bird a freak for being scared of flying.
The Elephant’s Child immediately accuses the Eldest Magician of being at fault. The Eldest Magician counsels him that the very thing he is looking for might be right under his nose.
The Eldest Magician introduces The Elephant’s Child to the Kangaroo, who sings about how normal his legs used to be “ABORIGINALLY”. He wanted, however, to be more powerful and so the Eldest Magician recruited the Dingo Dog to chase him, building up the muscles in the Kangaroo’s legs (LEAPS AND BOUNDS). As he ran he began to hop, and as his legs got larger he hopped so much that he could run no more.
As Kangaroo exits he warns the Elephant’s Child, “Sometimes you get what you want, sometimes you get what you deserve.” The now sheepish Elephant’s Child goes off in search of the Kolokolo Bird.
Back in the jungle, the Kolokolo Bird sits wondering why she always makes herself “WAIT A BIT”. However, the two cats appear and tie her up, just as the Elephant’s Child bursts through to rescue her. The Jaguar offers to let the bird go in exchange for the whereabouts of the Zebra and the Giraffe.
The animals encourage the Elephant’s child to “TAKE YOUR TIME”. In the end he offers himself instead.
Giraffe and Zebra taunt and tease them. The cats can only hear and smell their prey, since Giraffe and Zebra are perfectly camouflaged by their new skins. The Elephant’s Child offers to show the Leopard and the Jaguar how they can change their skins too in exchange for his and the Kolokolo Bird’s freedom. The cats agree, untie the him, and eventually become “JUST SO” (Reprise) by acquiring new unique and camouflaged hides of their own.
The Elephant’s Child is searching for a now hidden Kolokolo Bird in order to apologize. The Parsee Man and the Cooking Stove enter in a boat made from an upturned Crab shell with the Rhino swimming close behind.
An already frustrated Elephant’s Child tells the group to stop acting like children and make friends. The Rhino blames the Parsee Man for ruining his skin, as he filled it with crumbs whilst the Rhino was swimming. He prepares to charge at the Parsee Man's Cooking Stove, but the Parsee Man begs the Rhino “PLEASE DON’T TOUCH MY STOVE”. Rhino, Parsee Man, and the Cooking Stove all agree to be friends.
The Elephant’s Child sees water in the distance and exclaims they must be at the Limpopo River. But the head of a Crocodile invites “LITTLE ONE COME HITHER”, offering to give the Elephant’s Child directions if he will give him a meal.
When the Elephant’s Child gets closer the Crocodile grabs him and tries to eat him. The Kolokolo Bird appears on a branch and, though scared, flies/falls to the ground to save the Elephant’s Child. Eventually the Elephant’s Child pulls free and the Crocodile slinks back into the water. The Elephant’s Child is embarrassed to see that his nose has been pulled into a trunk. The Kolokolo Bird encourages him to look on the bright side of having such a long nose and the Elephant’s Child apologizes for being so rude.
Both are weary and wonder DOES THE MOMENT EVER COME for them to achieve their goal. The Elephant’s Child suddenly notices the abandoned Crab shell. When the Kolokolo Bird mentions it is an old Crab shell that has been shed, the Elephant’s Child realizes how they can defeat the Crab.
The Eldest Magician appears and narrates while the Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird put their plan into action (IF).
The Elephant’s Child finds Pau Amma and challenges him. As the Crab emerges from the water the Elephant’s Child signals to the Eldest Magician, who casts a spell on the Crab which makes him finally shrink. When the Eldest Magician asks the other animals what to do with the Crab, the Elephant’s Child prompts him to let the Crab go to play in the sea, where he can no longer harm anyone.
All of the animals and the Eldest Magician celebrate their victories and their uniqueness with a grand finale. (JUST SO/THE LIMPOPO RIVER Reprise)
cast (including Julie Atherton
, and Richard Dempsey
) and also featuring John Barrowman
as the Eldest Magician, and Anthony Drewe
as the cooking stove. However, it does not include all the numbers, particularly "Aboriginally I".
Secondary Characters In Order Of Appearance
This information was taken from a much longer article from Stiles and Drewe's website
Review of Tabard Theatre production
Anthony Drewe
Anthony Drewe is a British lyricist and book writer for Broadway and West End musicals. He is best known for his collaborations with George Stiles.-Work with George Stiles:*additional songs for the musical Mary Poppins*Tutankhamun*Honk!...
and George Stiles
George Stiles
George William Stiles is an English composer of musicals for stage and screen.-Education:From 1974 to 1979, he was educated at Gresham's School, in Norfolk.George Stiles also went to Exeter University.-Collaboration with Anthony Drewe:...
written in 1984 based on the
Just So Stories
Just So Stories
The Just So Stories for Little Children were written by British author Rudyard Kipling. They are highly fantasised origin stories and are among Kipling's best known works.-Description:...
by Rudyard Kipling. Just So was produced by Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...
at the Watermill Theatre
Watermill Theatre
The Watermill Theatre is an award -winning, professional repertory theatre with charitable status. It is a converted watermill with gardens beside the River Lambourn, in Bagnor, near Newbury, Berkshire, England...
and Tricycle Theatre
Tricycle Theatre
The Tricycle Theatre is located on Kilburn High Road in Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent, England. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as...
in England, as well as at the Goodspeed Opera House and North Shore Music Theatre
North Shore Music Theatre
North Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States.-History:...
in the USA. It was subsequently produced at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2005 and for the Tabard Theatre
Tabard Theatre
The Tabard Theatre is an intimate, 80 seat theatre located in Chiswick in the London Borough of Hounslow. Close to Turnham Green Underground station, it is situated above the Tabard public house which was built in 1880 by the architect Norman Shaw for the Bedford Park Estate...
in 2010.
Synopsis
Act OneThe Eldest Magician begins by reading a story “before the High and Far-Off Times” to the Best Beloved. As he does so, various indistinguishable animals appear on stage. The Eldest Magician, who created them, was very pleased...until he realized that they all looked the same. He bid the animals to go forth and find out what they were.
All the animals did as the Eldest Magician asked except for Pau Amma the Crab, who vowed to be disobedient and play alone in the waters. He grew and grew and grew, and would go out looking for food twice a day, causing large areas of the land to flood, and so disrupting many of the other animals.
One day when the elephants have gathered round the watering hole, they discuss the tyranny of the Crab. Bursting into the middle of the circle, the Elephant’s Child decides THERE’S NO HARM IN ASKING, and so to the elephants' annoyance he asks a continuous series of questions, all of which they dismiss as “silly”. They are interrupted however by the Crab’s feed and are forced to move to higher ground.
The Elephant’s Child decides to find Pau Amma and make him stop. He finds the Eldest Magician who encourages the flightless Kolokolo Bird to join the Elephant’s Child on a journey to THE LIMPOPO RIVER in search of the Crab.
Travelling in a small raft, the two travellers are thrown off course by a storm created by the Crab and are washed up on an uninhabited island where the Parsee Man and his beloved Cooking Stove can no longer cook after the Crab constantly floods the crops they grow (LIVING ON THIS ISLAND).
The Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird ask the Parsee Man if they may stay and try one of his cakes.. As they chat, Rhinoceros bursts on stage complaining about his THICK SKIN which appears painfully tight. He then continues on his way.
Parsee Man and the cooking stove agree to cook a special cookie made out of the emergency rations as a gift. Along with the various Cake Ingredients (Butter, Sugar and Flour) Parsee Man shows the Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird how to limber up (THE PARSEE CAKEWALK).
Rhino, who smells cake, comes back and tries to blend in amongst the dancing ingredients. Once the cake is completed he leaps forward and greedily rushes off with it, leaving the Parsee Man and the cooking stove vowing to get revenge. The Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird set sail once again.
The raft finally reaches the coast of Africa where they meet the animals on the High Veldt. Giraffe, Koodoo, Eland, Bushbuck, Quagga and Zebra lounge around chatting, whilst Leopard and Jaguar are slowly moving in, hungry for a catch (THE CHASE). The Jaguar and the Leopard realise that the Elephant’s child and the Kolokolo Bird are around and go about surprising them in hope that they will make a good meal. When the Elephant’s Child asks for help in finding the Crab, they offer a deal: they will help find the Limpopo River in exchange for help finding Giraffe and Zebra. When the Elephant’s Child asks why, Jaguar and Leopard cheerfully explain “THEY WANT TO TAKE THE LADIES OUT”. The idea of the cats eating the innocent creatures troubles both of the travellers, who feel they should warn the other animals. He therefore convinces Giraffe and Zebra to “PICK UP YOUR HOOVES AND TROT” and join him and the Kolokolo Bird. The group comes across a jungle where they eventually decide to rest until tomorrow. But the Giraffe and the Zebra stick out, causing concern that the cats may still find them.
The Elephant’s Child discovers the JUNGLE LIGHT, and prays to the Eldest Magician to help use it to camouflage them. The Eldest Magician molds and shapes the light beam to fall on the animals in such a way as to hide the giraffe and zebra. The two are transformed into their permanently patchy and stripey patterns.
But their celebration is interrupted by the sound of crashing waves. The baobab tree collapses allowing allowing sunlight into the clearing and causing chaos. It turns out the Crab rose out of the water, blotting out the sun.
The Crab asks who dares challenge him. The Elephant’s Child speaks up and politely asks the Crab to stop playing with the sea as it causes great havoc for the other animals. Pau Amma laughs and vows to go out and hunt for food seven times a day now so that the waters will never be still.
The Elephant’s Child is now scared and doesn’t know what to do at all. The Kolokolo Bird steps forward and convinces him that they must continue their way to “THE LIMPOPO RIVER” (Reprise) and promises they will think of something to stop the Crab.
Act Two
The Eldest Magician is interrupted by the arrival of the Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird having “THE ARGUMENT”. It appears that they are lost and the two continue to blame each other until the Elephant’s Child runs off, having called the Kolokolo Bird a freak for being scared of flying.
The Elephant’s Child immediately accuses the Eldest Magician of being at fault. The Eldest Magician counsels him that the very thing he is looking for might be right under his nose.
The Eldest Magician introduces The Elephant’s Child to the Kangaroo, who sings about how normal his legs used to be “ABORIGINALLY”. He wanted, however, to be more powerful and so the Eldest Magician recruited the Dingo Dog to chase him, building up the muscles in the Kangaroo’s legs (LEAPS AND BOUNDS). As he ran he began to hop, and as his legs got larger he hopped so much that he could run no more.
As Kangaroo exits he warns the Elephant’s Child, “Sometimes you get what you want, sometimes you get what you deserve.” The now sheepish Elephant’s Child goes off in search of the Kolokolo Bird.
Back in the jungle, the Kolokolo Bird sits wondering why she always makes herself “WAIT A BIT”. However, the two cats appear and tie her up, just as the Elephant’s Child bursts through to rescue her. The Jaguar offers to let the bird go in exchange for the whereabouts of the Zebra and the Giraffe.
The animals encourage the Elephant’s child to “TAKE YOUR TIME”. In the end he offers himself instead.
Giraffe and Zebra taunt and tease them. The cats can only hear and smell their prey, since Giraffe and Zebra are perfectly camouflaged by their new skins. The Elephant’s Child offers to show the Leopard and the Jaguar how they can change their skins too in exchange for his and the Kolokolo Bird’s freedom. The cats agree, untie the him, and eventually become “JUST SO” (Reprise) by acquiring new unique and camouflaged hides of their own.
The Elephant’s Child is searching for a now hidden Kolokolo Bird in order to apologize. The Parsee Man and the Cooking Stove enter in a boat made from an upturned Crab shell with the Rhino swimming close behind.
An already frustrated Elephant’s Child tells the group to stop acting like children and make friends. The Rhino blames the Parsee Man for ruining his skin, as he filled it with crumbs whilst the Rhino was swimming. He prepares to charge at the Parsee Man's Cooking Stove, but the Parsee Man begs the Rhino “PLEASE DON’T TOUCH MY STOVE”. Rhino, Parsee Man, and the Cooking Stove all agree to be friends.
The Elephant’s Child sees water in the distance and exclaims they must be at the Limpopo River. But the head of a Crocodile invites “LITTLE ONE COME HITHER”, offering to give the Elephant’s Child directions if he will give him a meal.
When the Elephant’s Child gets closer the Crocodile grabs him and tries to eat him. The Kolokolo Bird appears on a branch and, though scared, flies/falls to the ground to save the Elephant’s Child. Eventually the Elephant’s Child pulls free and the Crocodile slinks back into the water. The Elephant’s Child is embarrassed to see that his nose has been pulled into a trunk. The Kolokolo Bird encourages him to look on the bright side of having such a long nose and the Elephant’s Child apologizes for being so rude.
Both are weary and wonder DOES THE MOMENT EVER COME for them to achieve their goal. The Elephant’s Child suddenly notices the abandoned Crab shell. When the Kolokolo Bird mentions it is an old Crab shell that has been shed, the Elephant’s Child realizes how they can defeat the Crab.
The Eldest Magician appears and narrates while the Elephant’s Child and the Kolokolo Bird put their plan into action (IF).
The Elephant’s Child finds Pau Amma and challenges him. As the Crab emerges from the water the Elephant’s Child signals to the Eldest Magician, who casts a spell on the Crab which makes him finally shrink. When the Eldest Magician asks the other animals what to do with the Crab, the Elephant’s Child prompts him to let the Crab go to play in the sea, where he can no longer harm anyone.
All of the animals and the Eldest Magician celebrate their victories and their uniqueness with a grand finale. (JUST SO/THE LIMPOPO RIVER Reprise)
Musical Numbers
- Just So
- Another Tempest
- There's No Harm In Asking
- Silly Questions
- The Limpopo River
- Living On This Island
- Thick Skin
- The Parsee Cake-Walk
- The Chase
- We Want To Take The Ladies Out
- Pick Up Your Hooves
- Jungle Light/Just So (reprise)
- Act One Finale/ The Limpopo River (reprise)
- Entr'acte
- The Argument
- Wait A Bit
- Aboriginally I
- Leaps and Bounds
- Does The Moment Ever Come?
- Please Don't Touch My Stove
- Little One Come Hither
- If
- Just So/The Limpopo River (reprise)
Cast Recording
The 2005 production of the show was recorded with the Chichester Festival TheatreChichester Festival Theatre
Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, England, was designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, and opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Martin in 1962. Subsequently the smaller and more intimate Minerva Theatre was built nearby in 1989....
cast (including Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, and Richard Dempsey
Richard Dempsey
Richard Dempsey is an English actor.- Biography :Dempsey's first role was at the age of 15, when he was cast as Peter Pevensie, the lead role in the BBC's adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 1988. The following year, he appeared in the adaptation of Prince Caspian...
) and also featuring John Barrowman
John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
as the Eldest Magician, and Anthony Drewe
Anthony Drewe
Anthony Drewe is a British lyricist and book writer for Broadway and West End musicals. He is best known for his collaborations with George Stiles.-Work with George Stiles:*additional songs for the musical Mary Poppins*Tutankhamun*Honk!...
as the cooking stove. However, it does not include all the numbers, particularly "Aboriginally I".
Characters
Main Characters:- Elephant's Child: a generally kind-hearted, curious elephant who can often be a little reckless.
- Kolokolo Bird: Elephant's Child's reluctant and cynical guide; a bird that is too afraid to fly.
- Eldest Magician: Both a character and the Narrator, the Eldest Magician tells the story to the audience and interacts with the characters on their journeys, acting as a God-like figure.
Secondary Characters In Order Of Appearance
- Parsee Man: An Indian man who is a French chef and lives on an island with only a cooking stove for company.
- Cooking Stove: The Parsee Man's most beloved possession.
- Rhino: A lazy, messy, creature with tight skin
- King Elephant:
- Queen Elephant:
- Leopard: The idiot member of the Leopard/Jaguar duo
- Jaguar: The smarter member of the Leopard/Jaguar duo
- Wildebeest:
- Zebra: A diva, Giraffe's best friend
- Giraffe: Zebra's friend, more open minded than Zebra
- Dingo Dog: The wild dog sent to chase Kangaroo
- Crocodile: Voiced by the Eldest Magician, the Crocodile lives in the Limpopo
- Kangaroo: A humble creature, with huge legs. Used to be vain
- Wallabies:
- Pau Amma the Crab: A giant crab, who plays with the sea. Mentioned through-out the show, not on stage much.
Trivia
As Styles & Drewe describe in their website, the show that we know today took almost 25 years. It started when they were both young writers and won a competition to help produce the show. After many re-writes and a complete new show (HONK! the musical was written when they decided to take a break), Just So: The Musical was created.This information was taken from a much longer article from Stiles and Drewe's website
External links
Review of Tabard Theatre production