Clockwork
Adapted from Philip Pullman's novel
In the little German town of Glockenheim many, many years ago, in the dead of winter, 2 young men have a problem.
Glockenheim, like lots of little German towns has a great clock on the Town Hall with clockwork figures in it which come out when the hour strikes. Every young trainee clock-maker must make a new figure for the clock to show to all the town’s people on the day his apprenticeship ends. Herr Ringlemann is the best clock-maker in town and his apprentice, Karl, is just finishing his training, and so he must show his new clockwork figure. But Karl has a big problem . . . he hasn’t made one.
Meanwhile, in the bar of The White Horse Tavern the townspeople are gathered excitedly. Tomorrow the new figure is to be unveiled, and tonight the town storyteller, Fritz, is coming to the pub to tell his latest story. They hope it will be like all his other stories, full of murder and ghosts. But Fritz has a problem; he doesn’t have an ending.
As the play opens, Karl comes to the bar to drown his sorrows. But little does he know that Fritz’s story will unleash more than a few goose pimples on the back of the neck.
A collaboration between Junior and Senior Youth Theatre performed at The Forum in January 2001
CAST
Herr Wald/Palace Guard Andrew Barnes
Herr Grunne/Palace Guard Carl Lewis
Herr Burgo, The innkeeper Celia Wilding
Frau Mozart/The voice of Dr. Kalmenius/Puppeteer Charlotte Ward
Maisie Baden Chloe Wilson
Herr Ringelman, The Clockmaker Gareth Wheeler
Frau Wasser Elisha Beckman
Putzi, the pub cat/Helga the unlucky/Servant Emily Old
The Traveller/Sir Ironsoul/Puppeteer/Clocktower Bat Emma Coward
Fraulein Ruby/Princess Mariposa Emma-Louise Taylor
Herr Vogel/Prince Otto/Clocktower Bat Damian Rose
Katarina, Herr Ringelman’s Housekeeper/Royal Doctor Kate Jenkins
Karl, the Clockmaker’s Apprentice Keir Rathbone
Frau Chestnut, the chestnut seller/Puppeteer Laura Cameron
Gretl Burgo, the innkeeper’s daughter/Puppeteer Lois Clifton
Frau Schmidt, Fritz’s landlady Megan Wilson
Frau Baden/Baron Stelgratz Sarah Hillman
Fraulein Lily/Prince Florian Terran Mclean
Fritz, the Glockenheim Storyteller/Puppeteer Wayne Gregg