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Ginger Meggs and the Missing Link
A note from the writer.
I first fell in love with Ginger Meggs , when I went to school , in the 1940's. Ginger Meggs relates to what we think are the good old Australian virtues, mateship, good fun, larikinism, a slight disrespect for authority but basic honesty.
I'm delighted the comic strip first created by Bancks in 1922 is still as popular today as ever. Weekly and Daily comic strips appear in more than 60 metropolitan and regional newspapers , some examples follow. The important thing about Ginger Meggs is that he has moved with the times. Both Jim Kemsley the current cartoonist and myself, insist that the language and situations that involve Ginger are set in the 1990's. Today , while his hair is still bright red there might be a baseball cap on top, his fishing rod has a computer and he gets into scraps over video cameras.
I decided to write this musical because, as Director of the annual musical at The Armidale School in NSW for decades I wanted something my students could relate to, with an Australian accent. The musical was so popular it went professional. The New England
Theatre company toured it across the state, staged it at the Festival of Sydney and later the Victorian Arts Centre staged it before more than 15,000 students over two years.
I think both my Ginger Meggs' musicals are popular because both cast and audience.
can easily relate to the Australian characters , they and are drawn into it, because basically we are talking about something that is an extension of themselves.
The music is very modern and includes a rap song.I am indebted to Gary Down for his very catchy songs 'Wishin I was Fishin', 'Saturday Morning', 'Shake Mate', 'The Lad is growing up', 'Tiger's Hit the Jackpot', and 'I'm not Afraid'. There are also wonderful dance opportunities which I am happy to suggest to you.
Break a Leg
JIM GRAHAM
Photos
Plot / Synopsis
Ginger persuades his mother to let him use his father’s new fishing rod so that he can go with his friend Benny Hooper to the river in order to win a fishing competition. On the way they meet Minnie
Ginge and friends are at the creek when they stumble across a boy called Link who they invite to join their gang, Coogan enlists the help of Tiger Kelly to belt Ginge up so that he will not be able to fulfil his promise to Min. Tiger arrives at the creek to do this, but discovers Ginge has snagged his fathers line and rod and has stripped off and gone into the river to retrieve it. Tiger takes Ginger’s clothes and the rod and Ginge can’t go home till after dark, thus leaving Minnie waiting outside the picture theatre. Link who is left alone at the creek reveals that he is a girl and has run away from home disguised as a boy.
The next morning Ginge and Benny recognise a photograph of Link in the paper, who it turns out is the daughter of an American millionaire who is now offering a huge reward for information about his daughter. Tiger Kelly has made the same discovery and they all end up at the creek to confront Link. A brawl ensues but it is put down by the entry of Sgt. Clancy. The parents are informed and Link’s mother who arrives to claim her daughter shouts everyone to the pictures. Mr Meggs’ fishing rod is retrieved from Tiger Kelly and all end up happy — except perhaps, Tiger Kelly.
SYNOPSIS OF SCENES
ACT I
Scene 1 Exterior of Meggs house about 7.am. It is a modest house. Perhaps a clothes hoist, garbage bin, paling fence etc to give effect
Scene 2 Interior Police Station . Table with phone on it, & chair is sufficient.
Scene
Scene 4 River bank. A few free-standing bushes will create the effect. They can be kept very simple "comic-strip" like.
Scene 5 Stage is still set as the Riverbank. After line "Where are my clothes? Oooohh No" !!! there is a blackout. As various groups sing "Has anybody seen……etc". they are lit and isolated by pin-spots.
Scene 6 This is back at the river bank. It is early evening.
Act II
Scene 7 Kitchen in the Meggs house. Table centre with breakfast necessities. Mrs Meggs at one end, Mr Meggs at other.
Scene
Scene 9 River-bank
Scene 10 Police station
Cast
The musical can be staged by a small ensemble of six , with actors playing up to three roles or each, or you can divide 18 lead roles amongst your cast and have an unlimited size chorus.
Ginger Meggs (M) A rough & tumble Aussie. kid. About 8-10 years old. Big hearted, a larakin, loyal, gutsy.
Benny (M) A loyal friend, roughly same age as Ginger. Does not have same self-confidence as Ginger but is street-wise.
Chub (M) Much the same as Benny but not as street-wise
Hookey (M) Roughly same age as other members of Ginger's gang. Very likeable but not very bright. He tends to forget important information and has two left feet.
Minnie Peters (F) Roughly the same age as Ginger. Though coy and demure Minnie can be tough when required. It doesn't pay to muck her about.
Link (Girl disguised as Boy) About 8-10 yrs. Old. Obviously over- protected by his/her parents. He/she is not street-wise. Friendly & gets on well with others.
Tiger Kelly (M) About 15-17. A thug and a bully. Uses his superior size to intimidate others, but goes to water when challenged by someone stronger and bigger than himself.
Eddie Coogan (M) About 8-10. A whinger and a sneaky personality. Not a team player. Comes from a more affluent family than Ginger's friends. Keen to impress Minnie & is a bit of a whimp.
Cuthbert (M) Roughly same age as Ginger's friends. He is precious, not into sport, nor is he interested in the things other boys are interested in. He reads a lot and is a computer nerd.
Aggie (F) Minnie's best friend and about the same age. She is a tomboy and loves boys. Keen on sport — especially boys' sports. Direct and speaks her mind.
Mr Meggs (M) In his 40's and probably looks a little older. Has difficulty keeping Ginger under control and always slightly worried about what Ginger might do next. He can be quite tough on Ginger and Ginge is always a little worried by this.
Mrs Meggs (F) In her 40's. Largish motherly type but can be driven to distraction by Ginger. Tries hard to lay down the laws to Ginge.
Mrs Linkletter (F) Very social. Fusses over ger social status far too much and also fusses over Link (Emma). Means well and is kind but believes that money can fix everything. She is quite glamorous.
Sgt. Clancy (M or F) Typical Aussie copper. Philosophical, seen it all before. Although not overly-bright he has a natural instinct which gives him an advantage.
Const. Taggart (M or F) A younger version of Sgt. Clancy
For Larger Cast Productions: Chorus
For a larger cast production a chorus can be added, the girls are “Minnies ‘ Friends” and the boys are “Friends of Ginger.” “People in the Street” They appear in appear in various numbers as appropriate.
For Smaller Cast Productions: Doubling of Parts
It is possible for parts to be doubled with the same actor playing all or any of the roles. Quick costume changes are necessary . Play is written to accommodate the arrangement below.
Minnie / Mrs Meggs / Mrs Linkletter
Tiger Kelly / Mr Meggs / Hookey
Benny Hooper / Sgt. Clancy
Eddie Coogan / Chubb / Const. Taggart / Cuthbert
Link / Aggie
Sample Script
Sample Music
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Instrumentation / Rentals
It has a neat orchestration of piano, percussion, saxophone, bass and drums. A CD backing track is also available
Production Costs
16% of Box office Gross.