Speaker A
Hello everyone. I'm Julia Donaldson, it's lovely to be here in the Little Angel Theatre in Islington.
Julia Donaldson performs Room on the Broom and A Squash and a Squeeze with interactive storytelling and songs at Little Angel Theatre.
Ask about this video. Answers come from its transcript only — with the timestamp, so you can check them.
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Key Takeaways
- Interactive storytelling enhances children's engagement with Julia Donaldson's books.
- Room on the Broom Day is a special event combining Halloween fun with beloved children's stories.
- Use of costumes, props, and audience participation creates a lively theatrical experience.
- Julia Donaldson connects her first book with her popular Room on the Broom story to showcase her work.
- The performance emphasizes fun and imagination without being frightening for young viewers.
What the video covers
- Julia Donaldson welcomes the audience at Little Angel Theatre on Room on the Broom Day, coinciding with Halloween.
- She performs an interactive storytelling session starting with her first book, A Squash and a Squeeze, using a magic spell to transition.
- The story of A Squash and a Squeeze is narrated with accompanying actions and characters like the little old lady, wise old man, and various animals.
- Julia introduces the Room on the Broom story with live audience participation, including children playing the cat and bird.
- She dresses up as the witch from Room on the Broom, putting on a wig, hat, cloak, and preparing props like a wand and cauldron.
- Audience members are taught interactive cues such as tapping the cauldron and saying magic spells during the performance.
- The Room on the Broom story begins with the witch and her cat flying on a broomstick, encountering a dog with a lost hat.
- The performance includes songs, magic spells, and playful engagement with the audience to bring the stories to life.
- Julia’s husband Malcolm acts as the storyteller, supporting the live enactment of the story.
- The event is designed to be fun and not scary, suitable for children and families celebrating Room on the Broom Day.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
A wonderful puppet, mainly puppet theatre, and also I'm going to say hello to all the people that are watching online.
Speaker A
And it's a very special day, it's Halloween and I can see a skeleton in the audience, I can see someone who looks like a cloud, are you a cloud? I'm not quite sure, I can see a few witches and cats and I think there's a zombie pirate in the audience somewhere or a pirate zombie, I'm not sure.
Speaker A
Anyway, it's Halloween, but we're not going to call it Halloween.
Speaker A
We are calling it Room on the Broom Day.
Speaker A
And we're going to be telling you, acting the story of Room on the Broom.
Speaker A
It's not scary, you don't need to cry, it's all right.
Speaker A
Um, maybe it's a little bit scary.
Speaker A
Um, but first, I'm going to magic us back in time to my very first book.
Speaker A
Which was A Squash and a Squeeze.
Speaker A
So I'm going to say a magic spell, maybe you can all join in with this magic spell.
Speaker A
It goes, Ibbly, what does it go?
Speaker A
Ibbly, nibbly, nobbly knees, magic us back to a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker A
Can we try that?
Speaker A
Ibbly, nibbly, nobbly knees, magic us back to a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker A
Oh, what's happening?
Speaker A
Oh, my clothes.
Speaker A
Oh, my goodness.
Speaker A
I've turned into the little old lady in my very first book, A Squash and a Squeeze.
Speaker A
Now her house is very, very small.
Speaker A
She's only got, oh, there they are.
Speaker A
She's got a table with a nice checked tablecloth and a chair.
Speaker A
And a lovely jug, that's my favorite thing, this jug.
Speaker A
But do you know my house is so small, I wish it was bigger.
Speaker A
I can hardly move, it's, there's just not enough room.
Speaker A
I've got a nice neighbor, though, a wise old man.
Speaker A
Here he comes.
Speaker A
He's always playing his guitar.
Speaker A
But he's very nice.
Speaker A
Um, and I'm going to ask him what to do about my too small house.
Speaker B
One, two, three, four.
Speaker C
A little old lady lived all by herself.
Speaker C
With a table and chair and a jug on the shelf.
Speaker C
A wise old man heard her grumble and grouse.
Speaker C
There's not enough room in my house.
Speaker C
She said, wise old man, won't you help me, please?
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
Take in your hen, said the wise old man.
Speaker C
Take in my hen, what a curious plan.
Speaker C
Come on then, Henrietta.
Speaker C
Oh, there she is up on the roof.
Speaker C
Come on, you come into the house.
Speaker C
That's what the wise old man said.
Speaker C
Well, the hen laid an egg on the far side rug.
Speaker C
Then flapped round the room, knocking over the jug.
Speaker C
The little old lady cried, what shall I do?
Speaker C
It was pokey for one and it's tiny for two.
Speaker C
My nose has a tickle and there's no room to sneeze.
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
And she said, wise old man, won't you help me, please?
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
Take in your goat, said the wise old man.
Speaker C
Take in my goat, what a curious plan.
Speaker C
Come on then, come on then, Georgina.
Speaker C
Here she comes, oh, she's don't butt me.
Speaker C
Well, the goat chewed the curtains and trod on the egg.
Speaker C
Then sat down and nibbled the table leg.
Speaker C
The little old lady cried, woe is me.
Speaker C
It was titchy for two and it's tiny for three.
Speaker C
Even the hen pecks the goat and the goat's got fleas.
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
And she said, wise old man, won't you help me, please?
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
Take in your pig, said the wise old man.
Speaker C
Take in my pig, what a curious plan.
Speaker C
Come on then, Percy.
Speaker C
Percy, in you come.
Speaker C
Knocked out to the bins.
Speaker C
Come on, in you come.
Speaker C
Well, she took in the pig who kept chasing the hen.
Speaker C
And raiding the larder again and again.
Speaker C
The little old lady cried, stop, I implore.
Speaker C
It was titchy for three and it's teeny for four.
Speaker C
Even the pig in the larder agrees, my house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
And she said, wise old man, won't you help me, please?
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
Take in your cow, said the wise old man.
Speaker C
Take in my cow, what a curious plan.
Speaker C
Come on then, Ermintrude.
Speaker C
In you come, I think there's just about room for you this way.
Speaker C
Well, the cow took one look and charged straight at the pig.
Speaker C
Then jumped on the table and tapped out a jig.
Speaker C
The little old lady cried, heavens alive.
Speaker C
It was teeny for four and it's weeny for five.
Speaker C
I'm tearing my hair out, I'm down on my knees.
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
And she said, wise old man, won't you help me, please?
Speaker C
My house is a squash and a squeeze.
Speaker C
Take them all out, said the wise old man.
Speaker C
But then I'll be back where I first began.
Speaker C
So, she opened a window and out flew the hen.
Speaker C
That's better.
Speaker C
At last I can sneeze again.
Speaker C
She shooed out the goat.
Speaker C
And she shoved out the pig.
Speaker C
My house is beginning to feel pretty big.
Speaker C
She huffed and she puffed and she pushed out the cow.
Speaker C
Just look at my house.
Speaker C
It's enormous now.
Speaker C
Thank you, old man, for the work you have done.
Speaker C
It was weeny for five, it's gigantic for one.
Speaker C
There's no need to grumble and there's no need to grouse.
Speaker C
There's plenty of room in my house.
Speaker C
And now she's full of frolics and frivolities.
Speaker C
It isn't a squash and it isn't a squeeze.
Speaker C
Yes, she's full of frolics and frivolities.
Speaker C
It isn't a squash or a squeeze.
Speaker A
Thank you very much.
Speaker A
Now it really is time for Room on the Broom.
Speaker A
But we can't just do this just by ourselves.
Speaker A
We need some animals.
Speaker A
And I'm very pleased to say we do have a cat and a bird in the audience.
Speaker A
And they are, their real names are Natalie and Honor.
Speaker A
So can we give them a big clap as they come on the stage?
Speaker A
Can you turn around and say, wave to the people who are watching us?
Speaker A
And perhaps if you now go, go backstage to put your costumes on.
Speaker A
And I think I need a costume too.
Speaker A
Because I don't really look like a witch anymore, do I?
Speaker A
I know I've got a hat and a cloak.
Speaker A
But I think my hair's not right, is it?
Speaker A
In, in the story, the Room on the Broom, the witch has ginger hair in a plait.
Speaker A
Oh, what am I going to do?
Speaker A
Wow, look at that.
Speaker A
A ginger wig.
Speaker A
Put that on.
Speaker A
Whoops.
Speaker A
Oh.
Speaker A
Got a bit caught up there.
Speaker A
Oh, do you know, it's even got a spotty bow.
Speaker A
Just like in the book.
Speaker A
So do I look exactly like a witch now?
Speaker B
No.
Speaker A
Oh.
Speaker A
What do I need on my head?
Speaker A
What do I need?
Speaker A
A hat.
Speaker A
Can I have my hat back, please?
Speaker A
Thank you.
Speaker A
Put my hat on.
Speaker A
I don't think witches wear blue spotty dresses really, do they?
Speaker A
What do they have?
Speaker A
What do they have that's black to wear?
Speaker A
A what?
Speaker A
A cloak.
Speaker A
All right, so here's my cloak back again.
Speaker A
Nearly there now.
Speaker A
Feeling much more witchy now.
Speaker A
Um, except, I think if I want to do some magic spells, what, what would I need for my magic spell?
Speaker A
A wand.
Speaker A
Have I got one of those?
Speaker A
Brilliant.
Speaker A
My wand.
Speaker A
Just one more thing, if I want to mix up some ingredients to make a magic potion, what am I going to need for that?
Speaker A
A cauldron.
Speaker A
Have I got that?
Speaker A
Fantastic.
Speaker A
So I think I just need a storyteller.
Speaker A
I've got a storyteller.
Speaker A
This is actually my husband Malcolm, I think we could give him a clap.
Speaker A
Thank you.
Speaker B
And the cat.
Speaker A
Oh, yeah.
Speaker A
I'll get the cat in a minute.
Speaker B
So we've got two things to practice before we do the story.
Speaker B
The first thing is when Julia taps her broom, we're imagining the broom.
Speaker B
So when I say the witch tapped her broomstick, you tap the cauldron.
Speaker B
And we all have to say, and whoosh, they were gone.
Speaker B
Okay, should we try that?
Speaker B
The witch tapped her broomstick, and whoosh, they were gone.
Speaker B
Excellent.
Speaker B
And the final thing is the spell at the end, which goes, iggity, ziggity, zaggity, zoom.
Speaker B
Should we all try that together?
Speaker C
Iggity, ziggity, zaggity, zoom.
Speaker B
Fantastic.
Speaker A
So I just think I'll call my little pussycat.
Speaker A
Here she comes.
Speaker A
Oh, isn't she sweet.
Speaker A
Get on the broomstick, my dear, and hold on tight.
Speaker A
We're going to fly really high today.
Speaker B
The witch had a cat and a very tall hat.
Speaker B
And long ginger hair which she wore in a plait.
Speaker B
How the cat purred.
Speaker B
And how the witch grinned.
Speaker B
As they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind.
Speaker B
But how the witch wailed.
Speaker B
And how the cat spat.
Speaker B
As the wind blew so wildly, it blew off her hat.
Speaker A
Down.
Speaker B
Cried the witch and they flew to the ground.
Speaker B
They searched for the hat, but no hat could be found.
Speaker B
Then out of the bushes on thundering paws, there bounded a dog with a hat in her jaws.
Speaker B
She dropped it politely, then eagerly said.
Speaker B
As the witch pulled the hat firmly down on her head.
Speaker C
I am a dog as keen as can be.
Speaker C
Is there room on the broom for a dog like me?
Speaker A
Yes.
Speaker B
Cried the witch and the dog clambered on.
Speaker B
The witch tapped her broomstick and whoosh, they were gone.
Speaker B
Over the fields and the forests they flew.
Speaker B
The dog wagged her tail and the stormy wind blew.
Speaker B
The witch laughed aloud and held on to her hat.
Speaker B
But away blew the bow from her long ginger plait.
Speaker A
Down.
Speaker B
Cried the witch and they flew to the ground.
Speaker B
They searched for the bow, but no bow could be found.
Speaker B
Then down from a tree with an ear splitting shriek, there flapped a green bird with a bone in her beak.
Speaker B
She dropped it politely and bent her head low.
Speaker B
Then said as the witch tied her plait in a bow.
Speaker C
I am a bird as green as can be.
Speaker C
Is there room on the broom for a bird like me?
Speaker A
Yes.
Speaker B
Cried the witch and the bird fluttered on.
Speaker B
The witch tapped her broomstick and whoosh, they were gone.
Speaker B
Over the reeds and the rivers they flew.
Speaker B
The bird shrieked with glee and the stormy wind blew.
Speaker B
They shot through the sky to the back of beyond.
Speaker B
The witch clutched her bow, but let go of her wand.
Speaker A
Down.
Speaker B
Cried the witch and they flew to the ground.
Speaker B
They searched for the wand, but no wand could be found.
Speaker B
Then all of a sudden from out of a pond, there grew a drippy wet frog with a drippy wet wand.
Speaker B
She dropped it politely, then said with a croak.
Speaker B
As the witch dried the wand on a fold of her cloak.
Speaker C
I am a frog as green as can be.
Speaker C
Is there room on the broom for a frog like me?
Speaker A
Yes.
Speaker B
Cried the witch and the frog bounded on.
Speaker B
The witch tapped her broomstick and whoosh, they were gone.
Speaker B
Over the moors and the mountains they flew.
Speaker B
The frog jumped for joy and the broom snapped in two.
Speaker B
Down went the cat, the dog and the frog.
Speaker B
Down they went tumbling into a bog.
Speaker B
The witch's half broomstick flew into a cloud.
Speaker B
And the witch heard a voice that was scary and loud.
Speaker C
I am a dragon as mean as can be.
Speaker C
And I'm planning to have witch and chips for my tea.
Speaker A
No.
Speaker B
Cried the witch flying higher and higher.
Speaker B
The dragon flew after her breathing out fire.
Speaker A
No.
Speaker B
Cried the witch and they flew to the ground.
Speaker B
She looked all around, but no help could be found.
Speaker B
The dragon drew nearer and licking his lips said, maybe this once.
Speaker B
I'll have witch without chips.
Speaker B
But just as he planned to begin on his feast.
Speaker B
From out of the ditch rose a horrible beast.
Speaker B
It was tall, dark and sticky, it was feathered and furred.
Speaker B
It had four frightful heads and wings like a bird.
Speaker B
And its terrible voice when it started to speak was a yawl and a growl and a croak and a shriek.
Speaker B
It grins and it squelched as it strode through the ditch.
Speaker B
And it said to the dragon, buzz off, that's my witch.
Speaker B
The dragon drew back and he started to shake.
Speaker B
I'm sorry, he spluttered, I've made a mistake.
Speaker B
It's nice to have met you, but now I must fly.
Speaker B
Then he spluttered his wings and off through the sky.
Speaker B
Then down flew the bird, down jumped the frog.
Speaker B
Down climbed the cat and said the dog.
Speaker B
Thank you, oh, thank you, the grateful witch cried.
Speaker B
Without you, I'd be in that dragon's inside.
Speaker B
The witch picked up a cauldron and said with a grin.
Speaker B
Find something, everyone, throw something in.
Speaker B
So the frog found a lily, the cat found a cone.
Speaker B
The bird found a twig and the dog found a bone.
Speaker B
They threw them all in and the witch stirred them well.
Speaker B
And as she was stirring, she muttered this spell.
Speaker C
Iggity, ziggity, zaggity, zoom.
Speaker B
Then out flew a truly magnificent broom.
Speaker B
With seats for the witch and the cat and the dog.
Speaker B
And a nest for the bird and a shower for the frog.
Speaker B
They all clambered on and the witch tapped her broom.
Speaker B
And whoosh, from the ground they went flying to the moon.
Speaker A
Thank you.
Topics:Julia DonaldsonRoom on the BroomA Squash and a Squeezechildren's storytellinginteractive theatreLittle Angel TheatreHalloweenchildren's bookspuppet theatrefamily event
