Puss In Boots

Content details

(Scroll down for song samples, characters and plot summary)

The tale of this much-loved feline is given a fresh make-over, with a hilarious script by Andrew Oxspring and wonderfully catchy songs by Ian Faraday. Laugh along as Puss uses his skill and cunning to turn around the fortunes of his poor master, at the expense of some unusual and extremely entertaining characters. With opportunity for your cast to really ‘ham it up’, Puss In Boots will have your audience in stitches!

Songs include

Where There's A Will Puss In Boots Think Twice A Meaty March The Marquis Of Carabas

A Lovely Day For A Ride That's The Life For Me What A Rotter He's The Cat's Whiskers

Samples

Sample piano score (PDF)

Sample script (PDF)

Characters

Speaking parts in order of appearance

3 Narrators - maintaining the pace, if not the peace
Farmer - where there’s a will there’s a way
Lawyer - where there’s a will there’s a bill
Daughter 1 - where there’s a will, someone does well
Daughter 2 - where there’s a will, well…not great but still does quite well
Son - where there’s a will……nil
Puss - a real cool cat
3 Courtiers - royal hangers-on
King - would kill for a sausage
Queen - would kill for a juicy steak
Princess - would kill for a wealthy husband
2 Cooks - well, they would be if they could get hold of any ingredients
Gamekeeper - caught sleeping on the job
Carriage driver - a cushion would make the job bearable, as would some clothes
2 Footmen - enjoying a ‘day out’
5 Harvesters - jolly yokels, despite their aching backs
Ogre - rotten to the core…and smells like it
Mouse - ogre’s squeaky alter-ego
Priest - up for a bit of knot-tying

Ensemble characters for featured songs and scenes

Rabbits
Male & Female Courtiers
More Cooks
Servants
More Harvesters
Party Guests

Plot summary

Our tale begins with a humble farmer, who unfortunately one day over-exerts himself and ‘pops his clogs’, (song – Where There’s A Will…) leaving his squabbling daughters ownership of the farm and its one cow. His honest, kindly son is bequeathed Puss, the farm cat! However, the young man quickly discovers that this is no ordinary cat – it can talk! Puss also claims he can make the farmer’s son wealthy, if his instructions are followed to the letter. Having asked for some clothes and a swanky pair of boots (song – Puss In Boots), Puss leaves the baffled man and sets about doing as he’s promised.

Firstly, he catches a pair of rabbits (song – Think Twice) which he duly takes to the royal palace. This proves to be great timing, as the royal family are without the meat course for their lunch (song – A Meaty March). As well as being shocked at the arrival of a talking cat in boots, the king, queen and princess are grateful he has provided them with something to eat. Puss tells them he is the servant of the ‘Marquis of Carabas’, from whom the rabbits are a gift. (song – The Marquis Of Carabas) Puss sets off to complete the next stage of his plan, leaving the royal family intrigued as to the identity of the mysterious Marquis.

Puss then fetches the farmer’s son and takes him to a river, where he instructs him to strip and jump in! He also tells him that he must, from now on, believe himself to be this Marquis of Carabas, a wealthy nobleman, and only answer to that name, if he wants to make his fortune! Just then, coincidentally, the royal family and entourage pass by in their carriage (song – A Lovely Day For a Ride) and see Puss frantically waving for help. Puss explains that the man in the water is his master, the Marquis of Carabas, and that thieves have stolen his clothes. Eager to help the man who gave them the rabbits, the king, queen and princess offer him a lift, and the use of their driver’s clothes – the poor driver having to endure the rest of the journey in his underwear!

Meanwhile, Puss has run on ahead where he meets a group of jolly harvesters, busy in the fields. (song – That’s The Life For Me) He threatens them with an eye-gouging unless they tell everyone who asks that the fields are owned by someone called the Marquis of Carabas! Frightened of the talking cat they agree. When the royal carriage coincidentally stops by, the king enquires of the harvesters as to whom these lush fields belong, and they reply as Puss has instructed. Believing him to be the Marquis, the princess starts taking a shine to farmer’s son sitting next to her, impressed by his supposed wealth!

Puss’s final destination is the castle of a wealthy but evil ogre, who has amassed his fortune by foul means. (song – What A Rotter) He also possesses magical powers and can transform himself into any animal he chooses. Puss arrives and dupes the ogre into transforming into a mouse, whereupon he literally makes a meal of him. With the castle and money up for grabs, Puss declares it is the property of the Marquis of Carabas, which impresses the royal family who, coincidentally, pay a visit! Now a very eligible bachelor, the farmer’s son is pursued down the aisle by the princess, and wedding bells bring our story to a very happy, if predictable, ending! (song – He’s The Cat’s Whiskers)