RUMPELSTILTSKIN RETOLD BY ANGELA LANYON

Enjoy the show.

Angela Lanyon

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Angela Lanyon is a member of the Worchester Writers' Circle (UK). She was born in Leamingston Spa in December 1930. Angela is married to a civil engineer and has three children. She has lived in Scotland, Wales as well as England. She has worked in children's theatre and published numerous plays for both children and adults. Angela is now greatly involved in Theatre Management and is based in the south coast in England.

SYNOPSIS

Lisa was a humble girl who lived with her parents in a small cottage in a village. Her parents were very proud of her and were always telling people how wonderful their daughter was. One day, the King visited the village and tasted Lisa's delicious apple pie. Lisa's parents boasted to the King that Lisa was so clever she could do anything, even spin straw into gold.

The King took Lisa to the palace and ordered her to spin a heap of straw into gold. Lisa was worried and began to weep. That night, a strange little man entered her room and offered to help her in exchange for her necklace. The next morning, the King was delighted to see the room full of gold. However, the King wanted more. This time, the King took Lisa to the tower and ordered her to spin all the straw there into gold. Lisa was very scared as she had nothing left to give the little man if he appeared again. Her father advised Lisa to promise the little man anything he wanted. That night, the little man came and asked for Lisa's first-born son in return for his help. Lisa remembered her father's advice and agreed. The next morning, when the King saw the tower full of gold, he was overjoyed and asked Lisa to marry him.

 One year later, when Lisa's son was born, the little man came to take the baby away. Lisa begged him not to take the  baby and they struck a deal. If Lisa could guess the little man's name in three days, he would not take the baby away. On the first two days, Lisa could not guess the little man's name. Then, Lisa's parents followed the little man to the woods. While he was singing and dancing, he mentioned his name. The next day, when the little man came, Lisa guessed his name correctly; Rumpelstiltskin. The little man stomped out angrily, leaving the baby behind.

Lisa's parents learnt their lesson and promised never to be boast again.

PLOT

Exposition

The King passes by and smells the apple pie Lisa has baked.

 Rising action

·         Lisa boast to the King that Lisa is clever at everything and can even spin gold from straw.

·         The King orders Lisa to spin a heap of  straw into gold or lose her head.

·         Rumpelstiltskin comes to her rescue in exchange of a necklace.

·         The King  takes her  to a room which is  full of straw and orders her to spin the  straw into gold.

·         The little man rescue her the second time.

·         The King takes her to a bigger room and   orders her to spin all the straw into gold.

·         Rumpelstiltskin rescues her a third time and she agrees to give him her first-born child.

Climax

·         Rumpelstiltskin comes to take away the baby.

Falling Action

·         A deal is made with the little man that the Queen must guess his name in three days.

·         Lisa parents tail Rumpelstiltskin into the wood and overhear  the little man revealing his name in a song.

Resolution

·         The Queen guesses right and Rumpelstiltskin vanishes forever.

SETTING

1. The cottage

At the beginning of the drama Lisa is seen baking in the cottage she lives in with her parents. It is situated in a small village which is located in a small country. Lisa bakes brilliantly and even the King stops by at the cottage and sticks his head through the window when he smells his favourite apple pie. The King eats a pie and begins licking his fingers as it is so scrumptious.

2. The tower

Lisa is brought to a room in a high tower. In the room there is a spinning wheel and a heap of straw a an Lisa is asked to spin the straw into gold. She is promise a hefty reward by the king is she could spin all the straw into gold by morning. When all the straw has been spun into gold the very greedy king then places Lisa in another room with even more straw for her to spin into gold. When he sees all the gold he quickly moves Lisa into a tower that is filled with even more straw.

3. The little baby’s nursery

Lisa, her mother and father are in the baby’s nursery bending over the cot playing with the baby. It is in the baby’s nursery that the title little man appears once again to claim Lisa’s first-born child as promised.

4. The woods

After meeting Lisa, Rumpelstiltskin goes back into the woods where he comes from. In the woods Lisa’s mother and father sees Rumpelstiltskin dancing and singing around a little fire and saying his real name out loud.

MORAL VALUES

1.We must not be boastful.

·        Lisa’s father starts to boast to the King about Lisa when the King is about to leave the cottage. He says that Lisa can bake the best pies in the world, weave the most beautiful cloth and spin the best finest thread.

·        To strengthen his point Lisa’s father even goes as far as claiming the impossible that she could even spin straw into gold.

2. We must always find ways to solve our problems.

·        Lisa’s father and mother followed Rumpelstiltskin into the wood. They hide behind some bushes in the darkness of the woods to make out what the little man was saying. They are ready to face any circumstances because that is the only way for them to solve the problem.

·        Lisa too prepares a long list of out of the ordinary.

3. We must not be greedy.

·        The King is a greedy man as he wants more gold.

·        The Kings also asks his people to search the countryside for the last wisp of straw to be turned into gold.

4. We must think before we speak

·        Lisa’s father and mother claim that their daughter can spin straw into gold. They make such impractical promises because they do not think before speaking. Due to their foolishness Lisa is faced with a threat of being beheaded by the King.

·        Lisa too promises the little man anything as she remembers his father’s words to promise him whatever he asks. So, Lisa too make promises without thinking. Lisa  faced the danger of losing her first-born baby to Rumpelstiltskin.

THEME

1.      The main theme is how one’s family can be a source of support as well as problems. Lisa’s family is the source of her problems but they are also her source of strength. They even brag that she could spin straw into gold and leads her in serious trouble with the King who will cut off   her head if she fails to do so. She also gets into trouble with a

strange  little man who helps her to spin the straw into gold but wants something in return each time. Her parents are not bad but they are being silly and foolish. In the end, they realize their mistakes and help Lisa to find out the little man’s man in order to save their grandson from being taken away by the little man.  

2.      There is a price for everything. Lisa’s parents want Lisa to attract the King attention and get married to him. Apparently, the greedy King will only marry her after she has turned all the straw into gold for him. Rumpelstiltskin will only help Lisa in return for something and when she has nothing to give him, he wants her first-born child.

LANGUAGE AND STYLE

The writer uses a number of techniques:

1.      Use of idioms

·         A meal fit for a king.

·         Scrumptious delicious.

·         You’ve kept you promise

·         In this mess

·         I will do you a deal

·         I’ve had people searching the country side for every last wisp of straw

·         Something right out of the ordinary

2.      Use of verbs

·         Before the strange little man makes his appearance, the door springs open.

·         The door flies open and the little man enters.

·         Each time the little man shakes his head. The he laughs and stamps his feet on the ground and whirls out of the room.

·         …the little man dances into the room

·         The little man laughs but his laugh is cruel.

3.      Use of rhyme and music

·         Sit and cuddle your darling son,

For tomorrow you’ll have none.

Riddle and tricks are my game,

You won’t ever guess my name.

·         Wife and family I have none,

But tomorrow I’ll have the King’s own son.

Tricks and riddles are my game.

Rumpelstiltskin is my name.

4.      Use of suspense

·         The writer also uses suspense in the play. Suspense is the feeling of excitement and anxiety because one does not know what will happen next. Each moments of suspense is followed by a moment of relief when the tension eases. A moment of high anxiety happens when tension builds up to its highest point and this often coincides with the climax.