The Cat and Fiddle Book / Eight Dramatised Nursery Rhymes for Nursery Performers

Eight of whom
PAULINE, GEORGE, KITTY, MARY, BRIDGET, VALENTINE, MARJORIE, AND FLORENCE
have created many of the parts in these playlets, and two of whom, BILL and GEOFFREY, are still among the audience.
F.B. May 1922
¶ The Characters in list at the beginning of each play are always given in the order of their appearance.

In every case the tune of the nursery rhyme, the dramatized version of which is about to be acted, should be played through twice on the piano before the curtain is raised: the first time without singing; the second time the audience, of which the majority presumably will be children, should be asked to join in and sing it too, led by the performers singing it behind the scenes. At the close of the piece, when the curtain has fallen at the place indicated in the text it should (if justified by applause) be raised again, discovering the performers standing in a row. These should sing the rhyme through again to the piano accompaniment, the audience joining in as before, after which the curtain is finally lowered.
The scenery can in nearly every case be arranged by using folding screens. In one or two pieces, such as Goosey-Goosey-Gander and Ride-a-Cock-horse , it would be improved by being a little more elaborate. But even in these, if there is no artist in the family who can paint a Banbury Cross or a farmyard in the background, a large label can be hung up to show in what kind of surroundings the action is taking place. As to costume, the period of none of the plays, fortunately, is precisely known, and the performers therefore can be dressed up as they choose. Where animals' heads are required, such as the Cow, Dog, and Cat in the Cat and the Fiddle , the Goose and Drake in Goosey-Gander , and the Cock in Ride-a-Cock-horse , these will not be found very difficult to make out of cardboard, not too stiff, bent to the shape required and roughly painted.
In one or two of the plays there are speaking parts which can be taken by quite little children, such as the Dish and Spoon in the Cat and the Fiddle , the latter especially being within the grasp of the smallest performer able to speak distinctly enough for the words to be recognisable. The part of Polly in Polly Put the Kettle On can be played by any intelligent child of five. In Oranges and Lemons , Humpty Dumpty , and Ride-a-Cock-horse there are possibilities of a crowd in which any number of children available can come on and so take a share in the performance.