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Ben Crocker

BEN CROCKER

  
Nationality:    British
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    Chris Davis Personal Management

Ben comes from a theatrical family and is the son of the actor and pantomime script writer, John Crocker. He saw his first pantomime at the age of three and has been hooked ever since - although he can't remember all of the show as he spent the frightening bits under his seat. (It was Jack and the Beanstalk.) Many pantomimes later, Ben studied Drama at Exeter University and for a brief while he had a proper job in publishing which allowed him to either act in or direct a dozen productions at the Tower Theatre, Islington. After thoroughly enjoying his time at the Tower, he took the plunge and started up his own company, the Magnificent Theatre Company. Specialising in comedy, MTC went on to become one of the country's most sought after theatre companies, playing at the Young Vic and touring to the RSC and to major theatres all over the UK. During that time he also assisted the actor, Sir Nigel Hawthorne. In 1998, Ben became the Artistic Director of the Northcott Theatre, Exeter. Within two years, audience levels had risen to some of the highest in the country and remained so until he left in 2008. A particular highlight every year being the six week run of the much loved Northcott panto. During the last twenty years Ben has directed over seventy professional productions, including fifteen pantomimes. Five years ago he started writing the scripts which contain all his knowledge, expertise and love for the artform. They are very funny, fast moving, true to the story and quite possibly the best pantomime scripts in the world - oh, yes they are!

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below is a list of Ben Crocker's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Aladdin         Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves         Beauty And the Beast         Cinderella         Dick Whittington         Jack and the Beanstalk         Mother Goose         Robin Hood and the Babes In the Wood         Sleeping Beauty, The

Aladdin

Synopsis:
The Pantomime story of Aladdin and the magic lamp. Widow Twankey, her no-good son Wishee Washee and the Chinese laundry usually provide the slapstick.

Notes:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Synopsis:
The Baghdad Panto.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
The Theatre, Chipping Norton     22 Nov 2011

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Beauty And the Beast

Synopsis:
In the achingly beautiful landscape of a snowbound rural France, a tale is told of dancing ghosts and talking clocks, magical roses and mystical mirrors, beguiling beauties and beastly jokes. and a talking French Poodle.

Notes:
By Ben Crocker, music by Sarah Travis

1st Produced:
The Theatre, Chipping Norton     23 Nov 2010

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Cinderella

Synopsis:
The magical pantomime including Prince Charming, Buttons, the Ugly Sisters and, of course, the Fairy Godmother who turns a pumpkin and mice into a carriage and horses . . . but why doesn't the glass slipper disappear at midnight?!

Notes:
Pantomime by Ben Crocker, Additional material by Steve Bennett

1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Dick Whittington

Synopsis:
Pantomime about a boy and his cat who set off to London to make their fortune - usually with Dick's Brother (Idle Jack) and mother - there they usually meet Baron Fitzwarren and sail away to seek treasure. In some versions King Rat goes with them to steal the treasure, in others they reach a land infested with rats where they haven't heard of cats and Dick does a deal, returning home rich he becomes Lord Mayor of London. Based extremely loosely on a real person (Richard Whittington, 1350 to 1423), there is a statue of the cat outside the Whittington Hospital in North London where Dick is supposed to have heard the bells say "Turn again Whittington, Lord Mayor of London" as he trudged away from the city. First recorded panto on this theme was in 1814.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Jack and the Beanstalk

Synopsis:
Jack, a dim boy, sells the family's cow, their last remaining possession, for some 'magic beans', his mother is furious and throws them out of the window. Next morning there is a magic beanstalk, which Jack climbs to the land of the giant. There he rescues the love interest, and the goose that lays the golden eggs and runs away as the giant returns booming 'fee, fie, foe, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!' and occasionally 'Be he alive or be he dead I'll grind his bones to make my bread' depending on how bloodthirsty the panto is! As the giant follows Jack down the beanstalk Jack grabs an axe and chops it down thus killing the him. Featuring the Mighty Animatronic Giant

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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Mother Goose

Synopsis:
Traditional British pantomime about a woman whose greed gets the better of her.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Robin Hood and the Babes In the Wood

Synopsis:
Robin and his merry maid take on the Nottingham myth. In its original (16th Century) version the babes were abandoned in the wood by their wicked uncle - and died! Pantomime soon saw them being rescued and returned to their parents and Robin Hood started to appear in mid-Victorian times.

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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
www.bencrockerpantomimes.com/Robin-Hood-Script.php   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Sleeping Beauty, The

Synopsis:
Fairytale panto. At her christening, a beautiful Princess is cursed by the wicked fairy, Carabosse, to die at the age of eighteen by a prick from the spindle of a spinning wheel. Luckily, her Fairy Godmother is able to reduce the spell to an enchanted sleep of 100 years, to be woken only by a kiss from a handsome Prince. Foiled but not beaten, Carabosse still has more tricks up her sleeve. . .Expect comic mayhem and belly laughs a-plenty, as once again we conjure up the magical world of pantomime, with great songs, stunning sets, lavish costumes and lots and lots of SHOUTING!

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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