The Quest For Father Christmas - SCENE ONE

SCENE 1 The children's room in a large house Peter and Jane are quarrelling over a toy. The room is a bedroom with perhaps one bed and a double bunk. Other beds are made up affairs on the floor with Cephas's bed nearest to stage right front. Other children's beds could be suggested in an adjoining room to which some disappear at the end of the opening scene and from which they reappear clutching their newly opened presents in the final scene. There is also of course a chimney piece with Father Christmas no doubt appearing through an opening from the rear. Scene One  Scene Five  Scene Two Scene Six Scene Three Scene Seven  Scene Four  Scene Eight  Author's Words Cast  Scenes Carols

PETER: Its mine.
JANE: No its not, its mine.
PETER: I had it first.
JANE: But you left it on the table.
PETER: Let go.
JANE: No I won't.

Enter Mark and John

MARK: Hullo
JOHN: Hullo
PETER: Hullo
JANE: Hullo
PETER: Have you come to stay?
MARK: Yes. Our Daddy can't get back from New York so we are having Christmas with you.
JANE: That means there will be seven of us, because our cousins Carolie and Susan are coming.
JOHN: But that only makes six, who is the other one?
PETER: Oh, Daddy invited another boy whose mother has gone to hospital to have a baby. He is very poor and I think he is a cripple.
JANE: Look, here are Carolie and Susan.

They all exchange 'Hullos'

MARK: Well, we are going to have a super Christmas.
PETER: Yes, and Father Christmas will bring us lots of presents.
JOHN: I don't believe in Father Christmas.

There is a moments stunned silence whilst the children gaze at each other in disbelief.
Variously, except John

ALL: Don't believe in Father Christmas? Well he comes every year. Why that's silly. How can you say such a thing? Didn't he come to you last year? etc.

While they are talking, Cephas, on crutches, enters slowly, unnoticed

JOHN: Its only grown-ups pretending to us.
JANE: Well, my mummy believes in Father Christmas. She told me so.
SUSAN: Yes, he comes down the chimney.
CAROLIE: Yes, and he goes all over the world on a sledge with reindeer, and he gives toys and things to children everywhere.

John is the first to spot Cephas

JOHN: Hullo, who are you?
CEPHAS: My name is Cephas.
PETER: Oh! yes Daddy invited you for Christmas with us. We are going to have a super time. I am Peter and this is my sister Jane.
CAROLIE: I'm Carolie and Susan is my sister.
MARK: I'm Mark and my brother's name is John.

They all smile at Cephas and he smiles back during a long awkward pause

JOHN: (Embarrassed) Well, it's kid's stuff really.

The phrase gives mild offence

JOHN: Anyway...the thing is...well why should you be the only ones to have presents?

Variously, laughing

ALL: Aah! You see! Aah! You do believe in him! You know he is coming! etc.
CAROLIE: All the same, I wonder who Father Christmas really is?
PETER: Yes, where does he come from?
SUSAN: And why does he come only at Christmas?
CEPHAS: And how can he be everywhere at the same time?
JANE: (Sleepily as she settles down) Its a kind of magic really.
MARK: (Yawning) We should all try to find him, and ask him to tell us who he is.
JANE: I know. Let us all stay awake and watch until he comes.
CAROLIE: Yes, that's right. I have never seen Father Christmas.

Variously

OTHERS: No, neither have I. I wonder what he looks like. Does he really come down the chimney? How does he carry all the toys? etc.
PETER: We could even make sure he gives us the presents we want.
MARK: Don't be daft. He has them all wrapped up with our names on before he comes.
JANE: Anyway, is it agreed, we all stay awake until he comes?

There are general noises of sleepy agreement as they, one by one, settle down. Soon there is silence, except for snoring until a woman's voice off stage is heard singing 'Silent Night' and this is taken up by the audience as

THE CURTAIN FALLS

» Scene 2 - In a snow-clad forest

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