Impress each child with the character he is supposed to bear, and have him act it out all the time he is on the stage. The old women pronounce their words in an old-fashioned way.
Mother Goose and Mother Hubbard may knit, the Old Woman tend her babies, Jack and Jill nudge and push one another, or tease others. Miss Muffett sulks, Cross Patch strikes at the boys who tease her, etc. The Bachelor occasionally tries to join some group, but is always brought back by his wife, who lectures him in pantomime. Tom Tucker is all taken up with the Milk Maid. Simon, when not eating, stares, open-mouthed, and backs away from Jack Horner, who is inclined to fight with him. Once in a while, Georgie scares one of the girls with his spider. Contrary Mary refuses to be scared, and tries to catch the spider. Occasionally she waters some one with her watering pot. All this should be in pantomime.
The songs, except where otherwise stated, are sung by all on the stage, except the one they are sung at. The piano should not be in evidence, but just accompany the children to help them keep the tune.
If given in a schoolroom with no curtain, they may all run out after the final “yell.”
The tunes are easily learned by rote, in fact, many of them will be familiar to the children. They can be sung nicely without accompaniment, if given in the schoolroom.
Many of the little boys’ suits worn just now are charmingly picturesque, and have a quaint, old-fashioned air, fitting them perfectly to be “Mother Goose Costumes.”
A Troublesome Flock
Enter Mother Goose, advances to front, drops an old-fashioned curtsey.