Sinbad the Sailor
This imaginative pantomime rendition offers a thrilling mix of adventure, romance, comedy and music!
Set sail with Sinbad on his 8th Voyage for a panto that ticks all the boxes!
Capturing the spirit of the original tale, but re-imagined with a modern twist, this outstanding script guarantees a top quality production of one of the less commonly performed pantomime subjects.
With a relatively large number of characters, a handful of smaller roles and masses of Chorus involvement, there’s loads of excitement, adventure and feel-good family fun!
This action-packed new version makes a great choice for any production, large or small. Whilst most of the scenery can be achieved fairly symbolically, the more ambitious will have a field day!
Full cast and scenery requirements are listed below
Many productions of this script have won NODA and drama federation “Best Pantomime” awards!
"...This is one of the better scripts of Sinbad that are around at the moment and the whole production was well paced and enjoyable to watch. There was lots of good comedy in this script and a good variety of jokes.” (SFD Spotlight Magazine)
Burton Amateur Stage Entertainers
Malborough ADS
EXCERPT from Act I Scene 1: Constantinople! © Alan P Frayn
| TINBAD: | (Entering SR) Morning, Norma. Have you thought about what I asked you yet? |
| NORMA: | Oh you mean about us entering into deadlock? |
| TINBAD: | Not deadlock – wedlock! |
| NORMA: | But what if I get older and uglier? |
| TINBAD: | Don’t worry – you might get older, but I can’t imagine you getting any uglier! |
| NORMA: | (Noticing his feet) Ooh, those are nice sandals, Tinbad. Where did you get them from? |
| TINBAD: | Outside the mosque! … They’ve got a really good choice – all lined up, ready to try on! |
| NORMA: | (Laughingly) What are you like? … Come on – let’s go inside for a drink. |
| (NORMA and TINBAD exit DSL, as if into the inn, as TRACE and SNAFFLE enter SR.) | |
| TRACE: | (Shouting out:) Shop! |
| NORMA: | (Entering DSL) Okay – you don’t have to shout! I’ve got two big knockers, you know! |
| SNAFFLE: | You’re not kidding! |
| NORMA: | (Continuing) One on the front and one on the back! |
| TRACE: | There’s a novelty! |
| NORMA: | Anyway, what can I do you for? |
| SNAFFLE: | We’d like to stay here. |
| NORMA: | Well, stay there, then! (She turns and starts off SL, as if to exit again.) |
| TRACE: | No, wait! We’re just here on holiday. |
| NORMA: | You’re lucky. The last time I went away it was an 18 – 30 holiday. |
| SNAFFLE: | I didn’t realise they had holidays as long ago as 1830! |
| NORMA: | Hey, I’m not that old! |
| TRACE: | We’ve been staying round the corner at the Hotel Yumca. |
| NORMA: | Hotel Yumca? That’s the YMCA! |
| SNAFFLE: | No wonder it got slated on Trip Advisor! |
| TRACE: | We found it in the AA Hotel Guide. |
| SNAFFLE: | Yeah, that’s the last time we take advice from Alcoholics Anonymous! |
| TRACE: | Are your rooms ensuite? |
| NORMA: | Course they are! Each one’s got a private slop bucket! |
| SNAFFLE: | And do they have bidets? |
| NORMA: | Well, kind of … we call them flannels! |
| TRACE: | The beds aren’t damp, are they? |
| NORMA: | Certainly not! |
| SNAFFLE: | Only we don’t want lumbago in the morning. |
| NORMA: | Don’t worry – you’ll get cornflakes like everyone else! |
| TRACE: | Is the linen nice and crisp? |
| NORMA: | Well, the beds haven’t been changed for 5 years, so it should be pretty crispy, yes! |
| SNAFFLE: | And do you have a Blue Flag beach? |
| NORMA: | You must be joking! Put it this way – we flush bread down the toilet to feed the seagulls! Those poor bathers down there are just going through the motions! |
Characters
| SINBAD: | Adventurous sea-faring young man. (Can either be played by male, or female as Principal Boy) |
| NORMA: | Pantomime Dame, an innkeeper in Constantinople. (Obviously, best played by a man) |
| SILLY SALLY: | Norma’s daft daughter. (Female) |
| TINBAD: | Friend of Sinbad and Norma’s suitor. (Male) |
| THE CALIPH: | Eastern ruler of Constantinople. (Male or female) |
| THE WAZIR: | Royal official to the Caliph. (Male or female) |
| PRINCESS: | Daughter of the Caliph. (Principal Girl) |
| PRINCE SAID:
(“Sy-eed”) |
Ambassador from Persia. (Can either be played by male, or female as Principal Boy) |
| TRACE & SNAFFLE: |
A pair of bungling debt collectors, typical panto-style comedy twosome. (Female and male) |
| EVILENA: | The Goddess of Gloom. (Female) |
| FORTUNA: | The good Spirit of Adventure. (Female) |
| DEMON OF THE SEA: |
Underwater Baddie, in league with Evilena. A disgusting, slimy beast. (Male) |
| SLAVE SELLER: | Egyptian slave auctioneer. (Male or female) |
| CHORUS: | Citizens of Constantinople Royal Entourage Sailors Diamond Spirits/Evilena’s Minions Egyptians |
| DANCERS: | Featured in musical numbers as desired. Also perform the optional ultra-violet sequence. |
Scenes (Notes on simplified scenery are also included in the script)
| ACT I | |
| Prologue: | Tales of Old (Front cloth, DS gauze or front of Tabs) |
| Scene 1 : | Constantinople! (Full stage Eastern exterior scene) |
| Scene 2 : | Our Tale Unfolds (Front of Tabs) |
| Scene 3 : | The Royal Palace (Full stage Palace interior scene) |
| Scene 4 : | No Time to Lose (Front of Tabs) |
| Scene 5 : | The Eighth Voyage Begins (Full stage ship’s deck scene) |
| Scene 6 : | Meanwhile Back at the Palace (Front of Tabs) |
| Scene 7 : | The Land of the Roc (Front of Tabs or front cloth) |
| Scene 8 : | The Valley of Diamonds (Full stage diamond-themed scene) |
| ACT II | |
| Scene 1 : | Old Bazaar in Cairo (Full stage Egyptian market scene) |
| Scene 2 : | Pit Stop (Front of Tabs) |
| Scene 3 : | Sail or Return? (Full stage, as Act I Scene 5) |
| Scene 4 : | The Kingdom of Coral (Half-stage scene) |
| Scene 5 : | In the Nick of Time? (Full stage, as Act I Scene 1 or 3) |
| Scene 6 : | Song of the Seas (Front of Tabs) |
| Scene 7 : | Journey’s End (Full stage Finale, as Act I Scene 3) |