The ORIGINAL PLAYS including THE GINGERBREAD MAN, THE PAPERTOWN PAPERCHASE, HIJACK OVER HYGENIA and NUTCRACKER SWEET, are often fantasy-based. THE GINGERBREAD MAN features characters like Salt, Pepper and The Old Teabag, who live on a kitchen dresser. THE PAPERTOWN PAPERCHASE uses a Beauty and the Beast theme to tell the story of a fight between the inhabitants of Papertown and the Land of Fire. HIJACK OVER HYGENIA depicts the cleanest kingdom in the world when attacked by Measlygerms. NUTCRACKER SWEET is set in a world “peopled” by nuts. The lives of Kernel Walnut, Old Ma Coconut, Hazel and William the Conker are threatened by the arrival of the Chocolate Squirter, in search of nuts for his high-class confectionery.

Some of the original plays are environmental. In THE PLOTTERS OF CABBAGE PATCH CORNER, garden insects face uncertainty when the human Big Ones use anti-insect spray. THE SELFISH SHELLFISH depicts the dilemma of rock pool creatures facing pollution from an oil slick. THE SEE-SAW TREE looks at conservation from the point of view of the creatures living on an ancient oak tree endangered by a supermarket development.

Most of the original plays feature creative audience participation. Some of them are musicals.

Roald Dahl, Philippa Pearce and Dick King-Smith are some of the distinguished children’s authors I have been lucky enough to adapt. The classic titles include THE BFG, THE WITCHES, TOM’S MIDNIGHT GARDEN and BABE, THE SHEEP-PIG.

For younger children there are adaptations of NODDY (Enid Blyton), SPOT (Eric Hill) and MEG AND MOG (Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski). All these stories I have tried to translate from page to stage faithfully and with theatrical flair.

My “PANTOMIME SUBSTITUTES” have been mainly created for the annual pantomime slot. Some are original versions of classic stories, some are new stories featuring well-known characters. All of them have in common an action-packed plot, tuneful music, humour and a creative use of audience participation. Animals feature strongly, as children (and adults) relate strongly to animal characters. Sometimes they are constructed to include an optional chorus of adults or children.

Theatre For Children : Guide To Writing, Adapting, Directing And Acting
Writen with Janet Grant

Presenting theatre for children as a separate art form, David Wood draws upon his experiences as a magician, actor, director, producer, composer and playwright, and analyses the skills involved in entertaining and involving audiences of children everywhere.

He reveals his special techniques for catching and holding a child's attention, provides a practical step-by-step guide illustrated with excerpts from his plays, and gives a behind-the scenes look at the work that goes into them. He also examines the business side, showing exactly how a good synopsis will help to sell an idea. This book has become a set text in the UK and also in the USA.

This book is avaliable to buy for £10.00