Dramatization of All About a Dog .
H.S. English Project
Stage preparation : Some chairs have to be placed on the stage in such a way that the sum of those chairs looks like bus seats . There will be one person sitting in each of those chairs, they looked as if they were bus passengers. Significantly, the seats do not have to be placed in front of the audience. The seats should be placed back to the side, so that it looks like everyone on stage is sitting in a bus. But some chairs will be empty .
When the stage curtain is lifted, it is seen that passengers are sitting in each seat. But there will be few vacant seats too. There will be a specific seat for the conductor. There will be no sound in the background at this time .
Conductor : ( Leaving his seat ) :- Sector two .......... Sector two ............... Those who want to get down, get down .................. please get down ............ Sector two ............... the next stop is Sector five .
[ Two or three passengers got up from their seats .
Just as the conductor was checking the tickets of the disembarked passengers, three new people entered the stage. Among them are two women and a man and one of the woman carried a little Pekinese dog.
Just after checking the ticket, the conductor was about to take his seat when he noticed the dog. ]
Conductor : ( Towards the owner of the dog , the younger woman ) : It is not allowed to carry dogs in bus. You must take that dog out .
The younger woman : But it is too little !
Conductor : No , I don't want to listen any excuses . Take that dog out from the bus .
The younger woman : I shall certainly do nothing of the kind . You can take my name and address .
Conductor : You must take that dog out - that's my order .
The younger woman : I won't go on the top of the bus in this chilled weather . It would kill me .
The other woman ( The companion of the younger woman ) : Certainly not , you've got cough as it is .
The man ( The companion of the younger woman ) : It's nonsense !
Conductor : Stop all of this . This bus doesn't go on until that dog is brought out .
[ Pause for few moments for both sides . But a soft murmur could be heard among the rest of the passengers]
The younger woman : Why don't you understand ?
Conductor : I don't want to understand anything . Just take that dog out .
[ Suddenly, a passenger left his seat and got up. ]
Passenger 1 : Shameful . You can not talk to a woman to this way .
[ Seeing him, a few more passengers got up from their seats and started protesting against the conductor. ]
Passenger 2 : Let's call the police !
Passenger 3 : Let's all report him .
Passenger 4 : Let's make him give us our fares back !
Passenger 5 : Yes , give our fares back .
Passenger 6 and 7 : Yes , yes , give us our fares back .
Passenger 1 ( Direct to the conductor ) : Give us our fares back .
Conductor : why ?
Passenger 1 : You've engaged to carry us . You can not leave us here all night .
Conductor : No fares will be back .
Passenger 2 : Annoying. Let's leave the bus. It's better not to be on this arrogant bus.
A number of passengers : Yes, yes, so let's go .
[ Then almost all the passengers got off the bus. But the two women and their male companion did not come down. Just then a policeman and two constables entered the stage. As soon as they entered the stage, they proceeded towards the passengers of the bus . ]
The policeman : What is happening here ? Why does the bus stop here?
[ The passengers burst out with indignant protests and appeals . ]
Passenger 1 : This conductor is dishonest .
Passenger 2 : This person is constantly behaving rudely towards the woman and her companions.
Passenger 3 : This woman has a small puppy. But this conductor doesn't want to let that little puppy get on the bus either.
Passenger 4 : He has left us standing here unnecessarily.
Passenger 5 : If there is such a puppy in the bus , who will be harmed ?
The policeman ( Genially ) : Well , he's got his rules , you know .
[ Hearing this, all the passengers got off the bus and left the stage. Policemen also began to move around the stage.
The bus now has only those two women and their male companion, the conductor and one other passenger . After a while, the policemen also left the stage . ]
The younger woman : I'll go to the top .
The male companion : You'll have pneumonia !
The other woman ( The companion of the younger woman ) : It is better to get off this bus .
The younger woman : Yes, you are right . Let's leave the bus .
The male companion : OK , leave the bus .
[ The three of them got off the bus and left the stage. The bus now has only a conductor, a driver and a passenger with them . ]
[ Now the conductor came and sat facing the last passenger . ]
Conductor : I've got my rules .
The last passenger : Rules !
Conductor : ( Hesitating ) : Yes , rules .........
The last passenger : Are you justifying yourself ? ........................ Rules ..... are necessary things . Some are hard and fast rules , like the rule of the road , which cannot be broken without danger to life and limb . ...................... But some are only rules for your guidance , like that rule about the dogs . You can use your common sense here . They are meant to be observed in the spirit , not in the letter , for the comfort of the passengers .
You have kept the rule , but broken its spirit . You should mind your rules with a little good will and good temper .
[ The conductor listened intently to the last passenger. And for the first time, with a smile, the conductor extended his hand for a handshake with the last passenger. ]
Conductor ( Amiably ) : Thank you and good night .
[ Slowly the curtain came down . ]
