Colin Magee/Andrew Oxspring: A Big Green Adventure
All year round musical for 7-11 years (KS2)Running time 60 minutes approx.This fast-paced, fun-packed musical pulls no punches in delivering its big green message! Join Snowy and Chip on a voyage of discovery from their threatened forest home to the big city. Meet a host of colourful characters, including the ratty inhabitants of the landfill site, jet-lagged food items on the supermarket shelf, rush-hour drivers and the enigmatic Professor Plantpot, who all show us just how fragile our planet is... and what we can do about it!Plot summaryOur story begins with a meeting of the forest's animal elders, presided over by chief elder, Snowy. The untrustworthy and sneaky Weezil brings news that the humans have plans to 'develop' the forest, and suggests that giving their blessing to such a development would bring the forest residents a wonderful, new, hi-tech standard of living (song - What Kind Of World?'). The elders vote on whether or not to welcome the humans, but with the vote tied it rests with Snowy to decide their fate. Snowy consults the forest goddess, Natura, and is told to take a journey of discovery to the city before making a decision, to find out more about human behaviour. Leaving the future of the forest in the balance, Snowy, and fellow elder and friend Chip, embark on their adventure.As they set off, they experience first hand the plight of the forest's trees, and learn how man's actions have had a devastating effect (song - It Doesn't Pay To Be A Tree). But they also learn how human behaviour can change to reverse this effect. Next, the pair stumble upon the revolting, yet comical rats, Itchy and Scabs, who inhabit the landfill site. They witness the waste created by humans, and how this provides a 'paradise' for the roguish rodents! (song - Welcome To Our Paradise.)Next it's on to the supermarket, where Snowy and Chip meet some rather jet-lagged food items, who explain the environmental impact of their being flown thousands of miles just to satisfy human tastes for exotic and un-seasonal produce (song - What's The Deal?). Having learned what can and should be done to improve this situation, Snowy and Chip then encounter rush hour in the city (song - Driving Song)! They meet a very pushy car salesman, only to be 'rescued' by the brilliant Professor Plantpot who, along with some 'green' friends, explains that many humans do care about the planet, and are changing their behaviour accordingly.Snowy and Chip learn how, with a little thought and effort, humans can reduce global warming, save energy, and create less waste (song - Switch It Off). The professor also demonstrates the limitless possibilities of recycling (song - R.E.C.Y.C.L.E.), unveiling Robbie - a robot made entirely from junk!With their new friends in tow, Snowy and Chip are in a race against time to get back to the forest, which has now fallen under the control of Weezil! Will the humans and their bulldozers be welcomed with open arms? Will forest life ever be the same again? That remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, with the final song (Make A Change Today) still ringing in their ears, your audience will feel uplifted, inspired, and above all... thoroughly entertained!
