This Musical adaptation of Aesop’s famous fable is written by Robin Brooks with some songs by Damien Evans. The play is based on a story of gratitude and holds a runaway slave (otherwise known as Androcles), helping a poor lion with a thorn in his foot (pictured left). Androcles eventually gets found and taken to the coliseum in Rome, sent to fight against a wild beast. By the time he was at the coliseum, the lion had been long gone, but Androcles had no idea that the wild beast he would be fighting is the same lion he helped in the forest. The lion is obviously grateful but couldn’t show it before, so know he shows his gratitude by saving his life. That is the basic of the story in the fable, but the play has a whole world of difference. So, here we go. Let’s begin.
The play starts with a grand entrance from our crazy emperor, Nero (Theo Bimson) being told that there are no more gladiators by his trusty assistant, the master of ceremonies (Jessie Evans) shortly followed by a slaughtering by our favourite gladiator, Applemax (Katie Russell). After Nero Demands a story, the story teller (Lucy Johnson) starts telling the story by introducing us to slaves Dirtines (Grace Englert)
and Androcles (William Debenham) and their masters (Hattie Hopkins and Elisabeth Garrett) . Androcles is dared by Dirtines to runaway from the button making factory at which they worked. Androcles, being like a brother to Dirtines, does it of course. Androcles has a choice to face, does he head to the city where he might be caught by soldiers, or to the forest where he may be caught by a wild beast. Androcles, thinking that he might survive longer there, heads for the forest. While in a another part of the forest,
A group of lions are gathering (group includes Chief Lion (Kezia Bayfield), Hyena (Theo Bimson) and others (Joshua Briggs, Milo Dring and Elisabeth Garrett)) but among them all is the most cowardly lion you have ever met…Timothy Lion (Charlotte Matheson-Barr). Send to attack any creature; Timothy gets stuck with a thorn “the size of a biro” in its paw. By chance Androcles was walking that way when he saw the lion. First of
all he was afraid but when he played dead, he heard the lion sobbing. Androcles saw the thorn and took it out, and was returned with gratitude from the lion. So Androcles ends the first act alone, but how will he end the second?
The second half kicks off with Androcles encountering the devious sergeant, Antifres (Alfie Hulbert) and his master mind centurion, Serious Illness (Izzy Brooks). Between them, they convince Androcles to join the circus, but not any
circus, no sir, only the Circus Maximus in Rome! They take him on a long journey and when they get there, Androcles gets introduced to the master of the gladiators, who actually turns out to be our good friend Dirtines, actually. But only one thing stands between Androcles all the gladiators (Joshua Briggs, David Orrell, Elisabeth Garrett, Milo Dring, Hattie Hopkins and Maija Fox) freedoms. That thing is Applemax. Androcles and Applemax are then put in a fight to the death in front of the emperor himself, Nero. Dirtines suggests that they put in one of the brand new wild beast’s in. the emperor and crowd finally agree on something and before you can say ‘bobs my uncle’ the beast had been released and was chasing Applemax. When the beast, which was a lion, gave up it turned to Androcles. Then they both immediately recognise one and other and hugged. When Nero questions the matter, Androcles tells him the story and Nero finds it so touching he makes Dirtines into a senator and gives Androcles, Applemax and Timothy their freedom. Then we get told that Androcles, Timothy and Applemax have opened a café down by the sea side. 
“The play is exciting in both song and drama through the first half” explains Androcles actor William Debenham.
“My favourite song from the first half is probably ‘Just like a Roman’, adds Timothy actress Charlotte Matheson-Barr.
“Yeah but scenes like the one with the lion pride are really cool” encourages Dirtines actress Grace Englert.
“Well I like the second half because it’s got my solo ‘It’s lonely and sad at the top’ in” says Katie Russell, who plays Applemax.
“Yeah, But the other songs in the second half are more…… complex” Points out Story teller actress Lucy Johnson.
“Well I think the songs from the second half don’t have as much action as the first half songs, but that doesn’t make it any less great” butts in the emperor, Alias Theo Bimson.
“I think MY favourite songs are any out of ‘The second half of the show’, ‘It’s lonely and sad at the top’ or ‘Bread and circuses’, quotes Song writer Damien Evans.
With shows like ‘Wilbur and the Web’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and songs such as ‘Something in your paw’, ‘Travelling Blues’ and ‘Choices’ to go by, this show will be a hit!
The play starts with a grand entrance from our crazy emperor, Nero (Theo Bimson) being told that there are no more gladiators by his trusty assistant, the master of ceremonies (Jessie Evans) shortly followed by a slaughtering by our favourite gladiator, Applemax (Katie Russell). After Nero Demands a story, the story teller (Lucy Johnson) starts telling the story by introducing us to slaves Dirtines (Grace Englert)
and Androcles (William Debenham) and their masters (Hattie Hopkins and Elisabeth Garrett) . Androcles is dared by Dirtines to runaway from the button making factory at which they worked. Androcles, being like a brother to Dirtines, does it of course. Androcles has a choice to face, does he head to the city where he might be caught by soldiers, or to the forest where he may be caught by a wild beast. Androcles, thinking that he might survive longer there, heads for the forest. While in a another part of the forest,A group of lions are gathering (group includes Chief Lion (Kezia Bayfield), Hyena (Theo Bimson) and others (Joshua Briggs, Milo Dring and Elisabeth Garrett)) but among them all is the most cowardly lion you have ever met…Timothy Lion (Charlotte Matheson-Barr). Send to attack any creature; Timothy gets stuck with a thorn “the size of a biro” in its paw. By chance Androcles was walking that way when he saw the lion. First of
all he was afraid but when he played dead, he heard the lion sobbing. Androcles saw the thorn and took it out, and was returned with gratitude from the lion. So Androcles ends the first act alone, but how will he end the second?The second half kicks off with Androcles encountering the devious sergeant, Antifres (Alfie Hulbert) and his master mind centurion, Serious Illness (Izzy Brooks). Between them, they convince Androcles to join the circus, but not any
circus, no sir, only the Circus Maximus in Rome! They take him on a long journey and when they get there, Androcles gets introduced to the master of the gladiators, who actually turns out to be our good friend Dirtines, actually. But only one thing stands between Androcles all the gladiators (Joshua Briggs, David Orrell, Elisabeth Garrett, Milo Dring, Hattie Hopkins and Maija Fox) freedoms. That thing is Applemax. Androcles and Applemax are then put in a fight to the death in front of the emperor himself, Nero. Dirtines suggests that they put in one of the brand new wild beast’s in. the emperor and crowd finally agree on something and before you can say ‘bobs my uncle’ the beast had been released and was chasing Applemax. When the beast, which was a lion, gave up it turned to Androcles. Then they both immediately recognise one and other and hugged. When Nero questions the matter, Androcles tells him the story and Nero finds it so touching he makes Dirtines into a senator and gives Androcles, Applemax and Timothy their freedom. Then we get told that Androcles, Timothy and Applemax have opened a café down by the sea side. 
“The play is exciting in both song and drama through the first half” explains Androcles actor William Debenham.
“My favourite song from the first half is probably ‘Just like a Roman’, adds Timothy actress Charlotte Matheson-Barr.
“Yeah but scenes like the one with the lion pride are really cool” encourages Dirtines actress Grace Englert.
“Well I like the second half because it’s got my solo ‘It’s lonely and sad at the top’ in” says Katie Russell, who plays Applemax.
“Yeah, But the other songs in the second half are more…… complex” Points out Story teller actress Lucy Johnson.
“Well I think the songs from the second half don’t have as much action as the first half songs, but that doesn’t make it any less great” butts in the emperor, Alias Theo Bimson.
“I think MY favourite songs are any out of ‘The second half of the show’, ‘It’s lonely and sad at the top’ or ‘Bread and circuses’, quotes Song writer Damien Evans.
With shows like ‘Wilbur and the Web’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and songs such as ‘Something in your paw’, ‘Travelling Blues’ and ‘Choices’ to go by, this show will be a hit!
This review was written by Freddy Legg from class DB.
Mr Brook has taken over 200 photos. This will be available to order after half term. He has also made a video of the play.
Tony Hart died last weekend aged 83. He has been an inspiration to teachers and children for over 50 years on television. We have used his 'Vision on' music to accompany our online picture galleries (of children's art work). Did you know that Tony designed the Blue Peter logo many years ago. His involvement in children's tv goes back 50 years. He has started off more recent art program ideas such as 'Art Attack'. One of my favourite creations (of Tony's) was 'Morph'. Morph has lead to 'Creature Comforts' and then to Wallace and Gromit. I have been making 'Stop- go animations with children for years. 
