Lent Assembly or Class Play

Lent Assembly or Class Play
So, what are you giving up this Lent? As usual, our poor narrator has dubious task of coaxing sensible - make that, any - sort of response out of his reluctant cast! And as for even thinking about giving up chocolate - well, let's just say, the devil knows better!
Although there is the usual high quotient of humour in this play, the subject matter is serious - and there is a clear explanation covering what Lent is all about.
Duration: approximately 10 minutes reading time - longer with inclusion of mixture of beautiful and comical music.
Written for cast of 30 - easily adaptable up or down.
Sample Text
Child 5: Lent covers a period of forty weekdays – that’s approximately six weeks but not including Sundays.
Child 6: During this time Christians traditionally devoted themselves to fasting, abstinence and penitence.
Child 7: In other words, leading a less extravagant lifestyle and reflecting on how they could improve themselves.
Child 8: You mean, recognising their faults and doing something about it?
Child 7: That’s right.
Child 9: Hmm. Fair enough. But going without food for forty days? I’m not sure about that one!
Child 6: Nah! You remember I used the word ‘traditionally’? Well, Christians have become a lot more relaxed about fasting these days. Most people today just give up something like, well, chocolate for example!
Child 10: (Exclaiming indignantly) Chocolate? Going without chocolate for forty days? Are you serious?
Narrator: Oh come on! Surely you could survive without chocolate for forty days?
Child 10: (Emphatically) I don’t think so!
Narrator: Forty hours?
Child 10: No!
Narrator: Forty minutes!
Child 10: (Hesitantly) Hmm, maybe
Narrator: (Impatiently) Forty seconds?
Child 10: (Triumphantly) Done!
Narrator: So let’s talk about what this Lent is all about.
(To Child 10) And then we might have some ideas about what to do with you!
Why, for example, does Lent last for forty days?
Child 11: This was the period of time Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and praying, before beginning his public ministry.
Child 12: The wilderness? Sounds like a pretty scary place to be!
Child 13: It was! Let’s see just how scary it was and how Jesus dealt with it!