Performing the play

1. Colour any uncoloured sheets. Character plates can be coloured using fibre pens. Use bright watercolours for scenery. Do not worry about detail, colour boldly to give a theatrical effect. Use colour in wash  so that detail shows through. An alternative is to save the image into a programme which allows you to colour it and produce a colour print from the computer.
2. Stick the character plates to thin card and cut out each character. Strengthen weak parts with fuse wire, taped to the back. Write on the rear of the character its name and the plate number.
3. Trim the scenes and stick them to thick card. Leave enough card on the top to enable the scenes to be held in place by the scenery grid. Stick setpieces to thin card, cut them out and arrange them as directed in the playbook. Stick small blocks of wood behind them so they stand up. Wings should be stuck to card strips so that they can be held by the scenery grid.
4. The play may be performed on any toy theatre which takes the same size of scene. Surround the theatre with a screen of card or curtains and have the scenes and characters ready backstage. Make enough slides so that every character has its own. Arrange the characters in thier slides on either side of the stage according to their entrances.
5. Change your voice for each character and move the slide to indicate which one is supposed to be speaking. Have appropriate equipment to hand for sound effects. Music is best provided by a music box. You can, if you prefer, record words, music and sound effects on a cassette tape recorder. Fit it under the stage, use the pause button to make sure that the tape does not run away with you!
6. Change scenes quickly. The play should last between 10 and 30 minutes, according to length. Look after your audience!

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