A verse play by pupils at Boasley Cross, Hatherleigh and Northlew primary schools
(based on the Dartmoor myth and created during workshops with MED Theatre, March-April 2011)
Prologue: The Gorge – Jan growing up
Enter Gorge
Gorge: I’m the gorge of the Dart.
I’ve been here for thousands of years
And I’m the wisest of all there has been.
My trees are twisted and turned,
All dressed in moss they keep me company
All the time, even in winter
When they are shivering and bare
They still are my friends forever.
Some terrible things happened here at the river.
I’ve seen a young boy called Jan Coo
Who plays here splashing below me.
I’ve heard the waves splashing against the boulders:
It’s so loud you can’t hear the sheep bleating.
As Jan Coo was growing older you could see
Then something terrible happened
And this is how it goes…
Scene 1: By the river
Enter Jan and River
Gorge: I wonder, I wonder what they will play today?
Jan and River play
Jan: You are my best friend,
I will never leave you.
Jacob’s footsteps are heard and he stumbles on stage
Jacob: I’m lost, I’m looking
For Rowbrook Farm.
Do you think you could help me?
Jan: What’s your name?
I’d be delighted to help.
They start walking off together
Wind: I feel bad weather,
You’d better go inside. (Blows and giggles)
River: Come back, come back!
You said you would never leave me.
Boulders:(Whispering to each other) Jan shouldn’t have done that,
We’ve seen it all before,
The last time it happened
It didn’t turn out well at all.
Gorge rolls eyes and sighs
Exit all characters
Scene 2: At the farm
Enter Jacob, Jan, Farm-hand 1 and 2
Jan: I am tired of shovelling
All this soil.
It’s like digging a never-ending
Pool in a river.
Farm-hand 1: It’s really windy,
I just can’t bear it,
It’s like a terrible whirlwind
In the middle of the sea.
River: Jan Coo, Jan Coo, Jan Coo.
Jan: Did you hear that?
That’s my name!
Farm-hand 1&2: Stop playing your tricks, Jan Coo.
Jan tries to run away
Jacob: Come back Jan,
We’re working really hard.
Jan comes back to the farm
Wind: You’ve forgotten River…
How you played with her in your youth,
You built dams with the sticks
And stones of her bed.
Exit all characters
Scene 3: Field on the farm
Already on stage: Jan Coo and Jacob
Jacob: This is hard work
Lifting the boulders.
They wipe their brows with a handkerchief
Jan: Oh no! We’ve squashed
The beautiful flowers!
Wind: Let’s have some fun here!
I’ll twirl and whirl
Some leaves around like a whirlpool.
Wind spins leaves around
River: (from offstage, spookily) Jan Coo, Jan Coo, Jan Coo.
Jan drops his boulder in shock
Jacob: Ouch! Be careful Jan Coo!
Where are you off to?
Jan: I’m off to the river
To meet my old friend.
Wind: Jan Coo is starting
To climb the wall
And running off towards
The bubbling river.
Run faster!
Run faster Jan!
Jacob stops Jan
Jacob: I’ve caught you Jan,
Where are you off to?
Jan and Jacob go back to work, exit
Scene 4: By the river and gorge
Enter Wind and River, they whisper, planning how to get Jan to the river.
Wind: I’ve just seen Jan
Is on his own,
Let’s try now.
He has been saying nasty things
About you to Jacob.
River: Great idea.
I will swallow him up
Like a shark eating fish
In the water so dark.
Wind starts dancing around River
River: Stop dancing around me
You’re making me hiccup.
Wind: How boring it is
To be so still and quiet.
I feel sorry for you
Stuck in this trench.
I’m as free as the birds
Flying around in the sky.
Wind sniggers
River thinks again of the plan to take revenge on Jan Coo
River: I forgive you
For making me hiccup.
I will call Jan Coo,
Three times in a row
I say his name.
You can carry it on to him
Like a good boy,
There there there,
And do it now.
Wind goes off stage
Exit River
Scene 5: Field
Enter Jan and Sheep and Lamb. Enter Gorge watching.
Jan: Come on little lad,
Let’s get you suckling,
Your tail is wiggling
Like a worm.
Lamb jumps
Calm down now,
You are going to embarrass your Mum.
That’s it, that’s it.
I am sure you feel better now.
Sheep: Ba ba ba.
Enter Wind
Wind: I am going to make you shiver, sheep!
Gorge: The lamb ran to his mum in fear as
The wind glided like owl down his spine.
Jan tried to calm down the lamb,
After a while it worked but
The distant sound of laughter of the wind
Echoed like giant footsteps.
Wind is hiding behind a tree, holding in his laughter, which escapes occasionally
River: (Offstage) Jan Coo, Jan Coo, Jan Coo.
Wind: (Whispered) Jan Coo, Jan Coo, Jan Coo.
Jan looks around seeing no-one is there to stop him, follows the voice.
Exit all
Scene 6: At the river
Enter boulders and River, arguing.
Boulder 1: You’re truly evil, River.
Boulder 2: You’ve bashed us with your waves for decades.
River: Oh shut up, Boulders.
I’m only having a bit of fun.
Jan Coo enters. River and boulders go quiet suddenly.
Jan: I heard my name being called,
Was it you, River? Was it you?
River: (Smiling slyly) Jan Coo, come closer, my dear child.
It’s been a long time.
Boulder 3: Don’t do it, Jan!
Boulder 2: No, don’t fall for it, Jan.
Boulder 1: Don’t listen to the evil river
Step on us, step on us!
Wind enters and hides behind a tree, trying to hold in his laughter
Jan Coo wades into the water and disappears from the stage
Search party walks across stage (farm-hands and Jacob and extra characters)
Searchers: Jan where are you?
Jan, Jan Jan!
They all call
Distant laughter from the Wind. The search party exit.
Scene 7: At the river, same place
Three boulders already on from previous scene. Enter Jan. this time trying to get away from the River. Enter Gorge.
All Boulders: Step on me, Jan Coo.
Step on me, Jan Coo.
Step on me, Jan Coo.
Boulder 1: Jan Coo, Jan Coo,
Two more to go.
Gorge: Jan steps on the first boulder.
Boulder 2: Come on, come on!
Jan Coo, Jan Coo,
One more to go.
Jan steps on the second
Boulder 3: Jan Coo, Jan Coo,
One more step to go.
River settled and relaxed
Jan: Help me, help me,
Hear my cries.
River: Come to me, remember
All the fun times we use to have.
Gorge: Jan Coo was torn and didn’t know which way to go.
Then he cautiously jumped to the last boulder.
River: I’m coming to get you, get you, Jan Coo.
All this time I’ve been left on my own
As lonely as a solitary leaf that has fallen from a tree.
My tears of sorrow have flooded the river banks.
Wave of the river (made up of actors) engulfs Jan.
Search party walks across stage (farm-hands and Jacob and extra characters)
Searchers: Jan where are you?
Jan, Jan Jan!
They all call, then exit.
THE END