The Tales of Beatrix Potter Guided Reading Part III

The Tales of Beatrix Potter Guided Reading Part III
This is the third of a four part series of plays including:
The Tales of :
• Mrs. Tittlemouse (cast of 6)
• Timmy Tiptoes (cast of 6)
• Johnny Town-Mouse (cast of 3)
• Mr. Tod (cast of 7)
• Pigling Bland (cast of 8)
These five scripts are of varying lengths but take approximately five minutes each to read, with the total number of speakers at 30. The exception is The Tale of Mr. Tod which is around 15 minutes reading time – this the longest script in the collection.
These plays are simple adaptations/conversation pieces based on Beatrix Potter’s tales, for use within the class room. They can either be used as group readers or combined to create a whole class play/assembly.
They can be used as PSHE/Citizenship and/or Literacy resources – there are many tips on behaviour both within the scripts and afterwards, in the Q & A/Discussion sections. In the case of the latter, these offer a very simple line of questioning – they are intended as a starting point for further discussion and can of course be expanded beyond this simple format.
Tale 11 The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse
Cast of 6
Mrs. Tittlemouse (Thomasina)
Beetle
Ladybird (Mother Ladybird)
Spider
Bumble Bee (Babbitty Bumble)
Toad (Mr. Jackson)
How can you feel anything but total sympathy for Mrs Tittlemouse – so house-proud and having her spotless house invaded by so many uninvited (and extremely messy) guests? Especially Mr. Jackson – who definitely needs familiarising with the expression ‘outstaying your welcome’!
Sample Text:
Mrs. Tittlemouse: (Indignantly) But none of you were invited! You all just let yourselves in!
Beetle: Are you calling us trespassers?
Ladybird: You who told me my house was on fire?
Mrs. Tittlemouse: Well, I had to get rid of you somehow!
Spider: And there I was, just looking for Little Miss Muffet!
Mrs. Tittlemouse: And leaving trails of cobwebs behind, wherever you went!
Bumble Bee: (Tutting) Zizz, Bizz, Bizzz!
Mrs. Tittlemouse: (Impatiently) Meaning?
Bumble Bee: Zizz, Bizz, Bizzz!
Mrs. Tittlemouse: (Sarcastically) Very helpful!
Toad: I think what she is trying to say is
Bumble Bee: (Interrupting angrily) Hey, I can speak for myself, thank you very much!
Mrs. Tittlemouse: So, perhaps you can explain all that moss I found in my store cupboard?
Bumble Bee: (Hesitantly) Well, it was, er,
Mrs. Tittlemouse: Home to your family of bees! The cheek of it!
Beetle: (Gasping) Ooh! You mean, she’d set up house (pausing) inside your house?
Mrs. Tittlemouse: Exactly! Without so much as a please or a thank you!
Ladybird: You mean, Babbitty Bumble just (pauses) moved in?
Mrs. Tittlemouse: Quite so! (Pauses) So now can you see why I was less than accommodating to the rest of you?
Beetle: Well, if you’re going to be taken advantage of like that, of course we understand. Oh dear! And there I was worrying about my dirty feet!