Drama for Juniors- Victorian crime and punishment

This play was written for a class of 32 eleven year old children when the school at which I was working was holding a 'Victorian Day'. My class's contribution was on the theme of 'Law and Order' in Victorian society. Rather than produce a static display detailing the development of the police force, and crime and punishment, I decided to undertake some research about local villains and the justice they were dealt.

The play centres on these facts, but employs artistic licence to fill out the characters in this sad story. It has songs and lots of action and was very successful with the children who performed it, and with the audience.

In the records of the Magistrates courts in the early 1800s, I found one name kept cropping up, one Edward Kenward esquire, who owned a large chicken farm, and many young men attempted to deprive him of a fowl or two. As the birds roosted in the trees overnight, anyone with a head for heights and sense of adventure could slip out after dark, shin up a tree and grab a supper. Many men tried it and many were caught, because Mr Kenward employed bailiffs to patrol the woods and capture any poachers

Incidentally, there are still several Moons, Worleys and Kenwards in the town where we performed the play, and the present day Mr Kenward, when told this story, was very proud to show me a set of ancient handcuffs handed down from one of his forbears. With them was a book issued to magistrates detailing crimes and the appropriate punishments.

Thomas Moon and Henry Worley were two such vagabonds, and in 1837 they indeed were trapped, red-handed, Moon up the tree, Worley at the foot. Mr Worley immediately said "it's a fair cop guv" but Moon tried to make a run for it. He was unsuccessful, and they were charged and found guilty of stealing two chickens and six eggs, for which they were sentenced to deportation to Australia!

You can buy a copy of the script for £25. A cd of the songs costs £7.50 . To order, please send an email to enquiries@plays4kidz.com Thank you for your interest in my work. I look forward to hearing from you.

Now here is a sample from the play and a song - A Rascal's Tale

Scene 1 The scene is a cell beneath the Court in Lewes. The backdrop comprises four plain sheets of hardboard painted white. Projected onto these boards are the bars of the cell. There is a bench stage left and two men sit upon it. Roughly clothed, they are labourers. They sit glumly and still; they are manacled. One fidgets and scratches himself, the other grunts and complains as his hands are moved involuntarily. Off stage come the sounds of prisoners being taken up, calls for witnesses, rough shouts and abuse. The man nearest the audience turns his head to face it, then looks back. A few seconds later he turns to face it again,
Thomas Moon	What are you staring at? Eh? I said, what are you staring at? Come to look have you? To mock and to jibe and to jeer? What kind of pleasure do you get from seeing a man brought so low as this? (He gestures with his hands, and in doing so he causes the other man to lose his balance.) How many of you are saying now "There but for the grace of God?" Eh? How many? How many of you have eaten your fill today? (This time he rises to stress the point and, of course, drags the other man with him)
Henry Worley	Be quiet Thomas Moon. I'm fair sick of your ranting, makes my head spin it does.
Thomas Moon	What's that Worley?
Henry Worley	I said hold your peace and sit still.
Thomas Moon	Oh (There is a short pause) (Worley begins to sob quietly) Now what's that Henry? For God's sake don't start blubbing.
Henry Worley	(Through tears) I'm not crying.
Thomas Moon	(Turns to audience) Disappointed are you? Thought you'd come to see two hardened criminals? Ah, he's naught but a lad, barely twenty three he is. He was to get married next month (he spits on the ground) poor fool. (Turns to Worley) We've got a good crowd in today to see us. You'll be famous yet Henry Worley.
Henry Worley	Be quiet you old fool. You'll be congratulating yourself all the way to the gallows.
Thomas Moon	The gallows! Now don't start getting ideas like that. Oh dear no, a couple of months hard labour, that'll be the price of our chickens. (Turns to audience) Two hens and six eggs. That is the extent of our crime. Now what's the harm in that?
Henry Worley	I'll tell you what's the harm. It's our previous convictions that'll do for us Thomas Moon.
Thomas Moon	Well it's true; we're not exactly new to these surroundings. (Turns to audience) As you're here, and you're still staring, I could tell you our story...... if you've got five minutes or so.................
Song 1 A Life of Crime
Thomas Moon	Well, that gives you some idea: now to the story proper. My first brush with the law.......... (enter three policeman)
PC 1	Right you two, on your feet.
Henry Worley	Oh no!
Thomas Moon	Hang on a minute, I was just about to embark upon a tale of my exploits.
PC 2	Shut up Moon. On your feet, you too Worley. Can't keep Mr Justice Mildenhay esquire waiting can we?