“The Notice Board” as a One-Act Play
CHARACTERS
Hazel, a male rabbit who isn’t afraid to stand up for his friends and others
Fiver, a small male rabbit who is extremely timid and has strange premonitions
Toadflax, a male rabbit who is part of the Owsla
A wood with an old fence and a bramble-filled ditch. A whispering brook runs
along quietly near a gate leading to the lane. The grass is full of rabbits. Hazel
and Fiver appear out of a hole in the ground. Fiver is following Hazel.
HAZEL: (scratching his ear with his hind leg) Hurry up Fiver! I have the
impression that other rabbits are silflaying all of the acceptable flayrah to be
found. (Bounds away from the hole)
FIVER: (glances about nervously before bounding after Hazel) very quietly while
looking apprehensively about Let’s go a bit further, Hazel. You know, there’s
something queer about the warren this evening, although I can’t tell exactly what
it is. Shall we go down to the brook.
Hazel glances about, shrugs his shoulders, and nods his agreement. Both rabbits
make their way down to the brook. Fiver, searching feverishly, noses about in the
dancing grass. Before long, he hold in between his teeth a cowslip, a delicacy
among rabbits. He is grinning widely as he tries to communicate his find with
Hazel.
FIVER: (cowslip between teeth, grinning) Haz-thel. Ook vat I ound. A cowip.
As Hazel turns around to check out Fiver’s find, a huge rabbit comes lopping
across the field, straight toward Hazel and Fiver. The rabbit is Toadflax, a part of
the Owsla or Council Police.
TOADFLAX: (grinning maliciously and staring down Fiver) in a loud booming
voice used to scare the rabbits All right—just leave it to us. Come on, hurry up.
Inching closer to Fiver’s face and spitting in it You heard me, didncha?
HAZEL: (raising himself to his full height and looking straight at Toadflax) using a
confident voice Fiver found it, Toadflax.
TOADFLAX: (turning his full attention to Hazel) spitting on the ground directly in
front of Hazel’s paw and chuckling sarcastically to himself Yup, and we’ll eat it.
Cowslips are for Owsla—don’t you know that? If you don’t I can easily teach
you. (steps toward Hazel with his claws fully extended and glistening as if they
were just cleaned)
Unit 2: Systemic Conflict
Gifted and Talented English: Grade 7
211
Spring 2008
Draft
Fiver and Hazel slink off into the distance, carrying on an indistinct conversation
between themselves. Finally, the audience comes within earshot.
HAZEL: (continuing his conversation with Fiver as he bounds across the field)
clearing out of this warren altogether. (He says the last in a joking manner to
show his indignant outrage at the cowslip situation.)
FIVER: (looking at Hazel with surprise, as if Hazel has read his mind) quietly but
with confidence I’ll go with you, you know. I’ve started to have a feeling about
this place, something like thunder. All the same, I’ll come across with you.
Hazel looks over at Fiver carefully to see if he is telling some type of joke, but
Fiver’s face remains indifferent. Hazel speeds up a bit as Fiver chases after him.
As the two are hopping through the grass, they come upon a large notice board in
the middle of the field.
HAZEL: surprise and fear in his voice Fiver, what’s that? Look!
FIVER: (shivering and cowering down) in a high-pitching wailing voice Only bad
can come of this. Only bad! Some terrible thing—coming closer and closer. The
field! It is covered in blood! (at this, he passes out.)
HAZEL: (shaking him awake) Wake up! Get up! Don’t be silly, Fiver. It’s only
the light of the sunlight. And you are frightening me. (Hazel starts shaking a bit.)
FIVER: Whatever it is, it will come for us. We can run and hide in the burrow,
but it will come for us. There will be blood everywhere. It will come.
The scene ends with Hazel shaking uncontrollably and Fiver pointing his paw and
shaking it at the audience as he repeats over and over again:
FIVER: It will come. It will come. (repeat over and over getting softer and softer)
Curtains close at the sound of crashing thunder and a close up of the notice board
which states: This ideally situated estate, comprising six acres of excellent building
land, is to be developed with high class modern residences by Sutch and Martin,
Limited, of Newbury, Berks.
Unit 2: Systemic Conflict
Gifted and Talented English: Grade 7
212
Spring 2008
Draft