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THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL

CHARACTERS:

NARRATOR

FATHER

LITTLE MATCH GIRL

BOY

WOMAN 1

GIRL

MAN 1

HOMELESS WOMAN

GRANDMOTHER

MAN 2

WOMAN 2

SCRIPT:

ACT I – AT THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL’S HOUSE

(It’s a cold night.  It’s snowing)

FATHER: It`s time for you to go and sell these matches, and don`t come home until you sell them all.  Do you understand?.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Yes father, I understand.

FATHER: And remember, with the money of these matches all the family will eat tonight.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Oh, I am so hungry!.

FATHER: We are all hungry, take the matches, we will be waiting for you.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Good-bye father.

FATHER: Go now before your mother wakes up.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Oh, I want to kiss her before I leave, father.

FATHER: She`s sleeping… go now!.

(The Little Match Girl puts on her big mother’s shoes and leaves)

ACT II – IN THE STREET

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: I am so cold and this large slippers don`t protect my feet.  I wish I had my own shoes so I don`t have to wear my mother`s shoes. (crosses the street in a hurry.  Looses her shoes and starts looking for them) Oh no!.   What will I do? I can`t find them… please… somebody help me…

(The Boy enters and approaches her)

BOY: What are you looking for?.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: I lost my slippers, please help me find them!.

BOY:  Sure.  (sees a shoe and picks it up) Look…I found one!.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Oh thank you!.

BOY: Not so fast …  now it belongs to me, I will use it as a cradle when I have my own children.  See you!.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Please, no!.

(The Boy runs away with her shoe and leaves. She stands in the sidewalk  holding the matches in her hands.  People shopping for christmas gifts pass by her side.  Woman 1 and the Girl approach her)

WOMAN 1: (to the Girl) Sweety, did you like what I bought you in that toy store?.

GIRL: Oh, yes mother, the doll is so pretty, thank you.  And the dress, is so lovely.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Lady, would you like to buy some matches, please, they are the best.

WOMAN 1: No, I don`t need matches, and get away from my daughter.

GIRL: Mother, this girl is so dirty, and stinks!.

WOMAN 1: I know darling, come, let`s hurry up.  I don`t know why they let these kind of people to be on the streets among decent persons on this beautiful night.

GIRL: Look at her dress, mother, it`s so old!.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: I am sorry, but this are the only clothes I have. And I lost my mother`s shoes.

WOMAN 1: That is not my problem, anyway we don`t have money.  We just bought all our Christmas gifts, and even if I had it, I wasn`t going to buy matches.  So, get away.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: But, they`re only ten cents.

WOMAN 1: No, little girl, I already told you.

(The Little Match Girl trembles.  Snow is falling.  Man 1 enters and approaches her)

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Sir, Sir.. please.. would you like to buy some matches?.  They are magical, you know.  When you light one, all your wishes come true.

MAN 1: That`s nonsense!.  Those are fairy tales.  Get away from me.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: But, sir, please buy one… its light will give you the most wonderful Christmas.

MAN 1: I told you, no, I don`t need one.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: It is true, each one is different.

MAN 1: I don`t want matches today.  Why don`t you go home?.   It`s a cold night.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: I can`t sir, my father told me not to go home until I sell them all.

MAN 1: Well, I feel sorry for you, maybe somebody else will buy them.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Maybe…maybe.

MAN 1: Bye.

(The Little Match Girl shivers with cold.  The Homeless Woman approaches her)

HOMELESS WOMAN: Hey, you little girl. What do you sell?.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: I sell matches.  Would you like to buy one?.

HOMELESS WOMAN: Are you kidding me?.   Don`t you see that I am as poor as you?.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Oh, sorry. I have to sell them all and take the money to my father, if I don`t he will beat me.

HOMELSS WOMAN: Poor girl.  Well, it`s getting late, and I also have to seek shelter, I am not feeling very good.  Good luck, and I hope you sell all your matches so you can go home soon.

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Good-bye, and Merry Christmas.

(The  Little Martch Girl tries to sell matches to every person passing by.  She sits on the ground shivering with cold)

LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Oh, I wish I could cover myself with something.  My hands and feet are so cold!…I willI light one of my matches just to warm my fingers a little. (lights up one match) I feel warm now.  Oh, what a wonderful light..  what is that over there?.  It´s a stove!.  My feet and hands feel so warm. (the flame of the match goes out) Oh, I felt so good, I will light up another match… No, I can´t, I need the money for my brothers. (lights up another match) Oh, I can see a table full of wonderful things to eat… there´s turkey, lamb, roast goose, fish, apples, cakes… Oh, I want to eat everything!  I feel so comfortable in this place. (the flame of the match goes out.  She lights up another match) Oh, what a wonderful Christmas Tree!.  It`s like the one I see in many houses of rich people.  Those lights are bright as stars!.  There are so many gifts under the tree.  I wish I had some for my brothers. (tries to touch the lights but the flame of the match goes out.  She looks at the sky and sees bright lights) Oh, there`s a star falling and it`s leaving behind it a bright streak of fire. Someone is going to heaven!.  A soul is going to God!. It`s true what my grandmother told me. (lights up another match and she sees her grandmother) Grandmother, oh take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large, glorious Christmas-tree  (lights up all the matches).

GRANDMOTHER: Come my little girl, come with me and hug me.  We will go to a place where there´s no hunger, pain, or cold.  We will be before God.

(The  flame of the matches and the lights go out.  The lights are turned on again and the Little Match Girl is on the ground with all the burnt matches in her hand.  Man 2  and Woman 2 enter and approach her)

MAN 2: Poor little girl, she died in the cold…  on New Year’s Eve!.

WOMAN 2: It’s so sad… she tried to warm herself with the matches… but now she is in Heaven.

THE END

Author:  Hans Christian Andersen

Adapted by: K I D S I N C O

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