6N Class Assembly – Ancient Greeks
Announcer – We will now transport you
through the mists of time to Ancient Greece.
Land of myths, heroes and horrible
monsters! Don’t be too afraid though you
will be safe with us Ha ha ha aha haah ahaa
ah……hee hee!
(Audacity adjusted voice)
Greek Music
Narrator 1 – There was once a king called
Polydectes who ruled on an island called
Seriphos.
(Polydectes strides onto the stage with his
nose in the air)
Narrator 1 – He fell in love with a woman
who happened to live in his palace. This
woman was called Danae and she had been
found washed up on the shores of the island
along with her young son Perseus. She was
very beautiful…
(Danae walks on swaying her hair and trying
to look pretty)
Narrator 1 – Polydectes loved Danae (Poly
holds heart to Danae who refuses) Danae did
not feel the same way about Polydectes. He
had an extremely large belly, the worst
smelling breath ever and problems with his
digestive system. (sound effects)
(Two people walk past and faint at the smell
of him)
Narrator 2 – If it wasn’t for her son Perseus,
Polydectes would have married Danae long
ago. Perseus though, was strong, brave and
heroic! (Perseus strides on and looks tough)
He also had a bit of a bad temper, especially
if anyone laid a finger on his mother.
(Someone lays a finger on his mum, Perseus
gets angry)
Narrator 2 – He was very popular on the
island and there would have been trouble if
anything “accidently” happened to him.
Narrator 3 – Polydectes thought long and
hard (Poly thinks hard). While Perseus was
around he could never marry Danae.
At last he came up with a plan. He
announced he was to marry another girl
called Hippodameia. (Hippodameia prances
on looking happy) Somehow he would then
get Perseus out of the way.
Hippodameia – I’m so excited I’m going to
be the new queen. Polydectes is soooo
lovely!
Narrator 3 They threw a great banquet to
celebrate their wedding.
MUSIC AND SPECTACULAR GREEK
DANCE
(Wedding presents given to Poly and Hippo)
Narrator 4 - Everybody brought him gifts.
Of course, the gifts (like so many wedding
presents) were useless. He got no less than
seven wine jugs. He already had more wine
jugs than he knew what to do with.
Narrator 1 – Then Perseus arrived at the
banquet, empty-handed. As well as being
brave and heroic Perseus was also very poor
and could not afford a present. (Perseus acts
poor)
Polydectes – Where is it?
Perseus – Where is what?
Polydecetes – My present of course!
Perseus – I have no present, don’t you know
I’m poor.
Polydectes – That’s what I expect from a
useless, big hairy lump of a boy with no
manners!
Perseus - I don’t have any money sire.
Polydectes – Maybe you should get a job
you lazy…..good for nothing. I demand a
present!
Perseus – I have no money but I am not lazy
and I am not useless. To prove it I will get
you anything you want.
Polydectes – Anything?
Perseus – Anything
Polydectes – Anything?
Perseus – Yes, anything.
Polydectes – Anything in the world? Are
you sure……? Mmmh
Perseus – You heard me.
Polydectes – How about the head of a
gorgon? That should be an easy catch for a
fool like you.
(Shocked expressions and gasps from guests
– a few faint)
Perseus – A gorgon’s head? (Another person
faints)
Polydectes – You heard me….I demand the
head of a gorgon!
Perseus – Fine, I’ll bring you your gorgon’s
head!
(Perseus storms out)
Narrator 2
Polydectes’ plan had worked. Perseus was
now out of the way and his mother Danae
was left unprotected.
What Polydectes had not told Perseus was
that one look from a gorgon and any living
thing could be turned to stone.
There were three gorgons in the world who
had once been very pretty.
(Before and after photos on the big screen)
Unfortunately they had upset a god who had
turned them into the ugliest things you could
imagine. They had razor sharp tusks for
teeth, poisonous blood and worst of all their
hair was made from hissing, wriggling,
deadly snakes. The only gorgon who was
mortal and could be killed was called
Medusa. (ON SCREEN). It was she who
Perseus would have to slay.
Narrator 3 – As soon as Perseus set off
Polydectes threw himself at Danae.
(Poly jumps at Danae who moves and he
lands…keeps chasing her)
Narrrator 3
Perseus travelled far and wide (Perseus
walks back and forth gradually getting more
tired), however there was no sign of Medusa
or her terrifying sisters. One night he was
gazing at the stars, with only his bonfire to
keep him company. Out of the fire came a
tall woman carrying a golden shield and
sword. The woman was Athene.
(Athene rises from fire with dramatic music)
Athene – You were foolish to take on this
challenge, that evil king has played you like
a harp. Anyway, I’m here to help because I
think you’ve got potential. I need to give
you some advice.
Perseus – Brilliant! I’m most grateful
Athene. I’m looking for…
Athene – I know, I know, you’re trying to
find the queen of the uglies, Medusa. I’m
not the goddess of wisdom for nothing.
Whatever you do….don’t look into her eyes
because if you do then you’ll turn to stone. I
bet Polydectes, that rotten lemon, didn’t tell
you about that! Did he?
Perseus – Turn me into stone! What! How
am I meant to defeat her?
Athene- Well you certainly don’t want to
become one of her stone chess pieces.
Perseus – Not really.
Athene – I’ll tell you what to do. Listen
carefully this might save your life.
(Whispers in his ear and acts out a few
things. Gives him a shield and sword)
Perseus – Thanks…where will I find her?
Athene – Go and see her sisters, the Grey
ones….they should help you. They’re the
only ones who will know where she is.
Narrator 4 – The grey ones were sisters of
the gorgons and very peculiar. They had
been born with grey hair – hence the name.
They were extremely ugly and they only had
one eye and one tooth to share between
them. They were always bickering and they
were called Enyo, Pemphredo and Deino.
Narrator 2 – As Perseus approached this is
what he saw:
Pemphredo – I need the tooth Enyo.
Enyo – Who said that?
Pemphrodo – Me, Pemphredo.
Deino – Don’t believe you.
Enyo & Pemphredo – Who’s that?
Deino – If you want the eye, I’ve got it.
Pemphredo – I don’t need the eye I need the
tooth.
Deino – Be quiet you pair of fermented
yogurts.
Pemphredo – Who are you calling a
fermented yogurt – you flammable duck!
Deino – Hey! I’m no flammable duck! Who
wants the tooth?
Pemphredo – I do….hand it over.
Deino – What do you need it for?
Pemphredo – I need to bite a frog!
Enyo – What frog?
Pemphredo – That frog.
Enyo – Oh I ate it!
Pemphredo – What! Where’s the eye gone?
Deino – I’ve got it….
Pemphredo – Hey you pair of….What’s that
noise?
Enyo – Have a look Deino.
Deino – It’s a young, handsome man….
Pemphredo – Really? A dash of salt and he
would do for our cauldron.
Deino – Come here young man….who are
you?
(Perseus runs in and grabs eye and tooth)
Enyo, Deino and Pemphredo – Hey!!!!!!!!
Perseus – Tell me where I can find your
sister Medusa or the eye and the tooth…..Go
in the fire!
Enyo – Aaaah!
Pemphredo – Shut up you crazy fool.
Perseus – No, I’m serious….you’ll never be
able to use them again! Where can I find
Medusa? Tell me or else!
Enyo – Ok…
Pemphredo – Ok…
Deino – Ok, fine.
Narrator 3 – The grey ones tried to grind
their teeth. As they didn’t have any, they
ground their gums instead.
Deino – Well, you go to the cave on the hill
in the land of Tyrannesus. Just turn right
after the pit of skulls and then left after the
fields of stone. You can’t miss it.
Pemphredo – Yeah and make sure you have
a good look at Medusa. Look her straight in
the eyes! Ha ha ha ah aha (Evil Style).
All – (Evil Laugh)
Perseus – Here…catch. (Throws tooth and
rolls eye),
(Perseus strides on with shield and
sword…back and forth across the stage)
Perseus – I’d better watch out…I’m getting
closer now. It can’t be far. There’s the pit of
skulls. Turn right.
(Walks on)
Perseus – She could be around any corner
now waiting to pounce. There’s the field of
stone.
Narrator 4 – The field of stone was filled
with Medusa’s victims. There were men,
women, children and animals who had all
been turned into stone.
(Stone people stand like horrified stone
statues and Perseus walks between them
looking shocked and anxious)
(Water dripping sound effects and cave
picture on screen)
Perseus – She must be in there. (Deep
breathe)
Perseus – Medusaah!
Perseus – Medusaaaaah! Where are you? I
am Perseus – I’ve come for you!
Medusa – Growls……Perseus….you’ve
come to see me? How sweet.
Perseus – Where are you?
Narrator1 – Perseus uses the reflection in his
shield to look at Medusa safely.
Perseus – Where are you?
Medusa – Hissssss. Look at Me….Look at
Me!!!!
(Battle Scene – about 1minute)
(Perseus wins)
(Perseus Puts Head In Sack)
Narrator 1 – Perseus overcame many other
monsters and had many other adventures.
By the time he returned home it had been a
whole year. (Sign 1 year later)
The first person he met was his friend, a
fisherman called Dictys. He was the man
who had found Perseus and Danae washed
up on the shore many years ago.
Perseus - Dictys is that you? I haven’t seen
you for ages. How’s things?
Dictys – Oh Perseus I’m so glad to see you.
Things have not been going well at all.
Well that king Polydecetes is a total rotter.
As soon as you were gone he tried to marry
your mother!
Perseus – Whaaaat!!!!!!!
Dictys – Yes, but she refused him. Don’t
blame her. Would you marry him?
Perseus – No way!
Dictys – He got pretty angry and made her
into the palace washer woman. Look there
she is! She cleans all day and night.
(Dictys points at Danae scrubbing the floor
with Polydectes pointing and laughing at
her)
Dictys – The king just laughs at her!
Perseus – He does does he? I’ll show him a
thing or two!
(King on throne and Perseus approaches)
Perseus – (Quietly) How dare he.
(King looks up)
Perseus – Greetings sire. It is I Perseus and I
have brought you your special wedding
present. The best present you’ll ever
have….you’re going to be really stunned!
Polydectes – What the gorgon’s head? No
chance….I don’t believe you.
Perseus – It’s in here. (Points at bag)
Polydectes – Yeah right. Sure it is. I’ll
believe it when I see it. Show me fool!
Perseus – Ok, here it is. You asked for
it….the last present you’ll ever get.
(Holds up head)
Polydectes – It can’t be….(Turns to stone)
Narrator 2 – As you all hopefully wanted a
happy ending. You’ve got one. Evil king
Polydectes was turned to stone and became
a slightly disturbing garden ornament. You
might still be able to see him today. Perseus
became king of Mycenae. Dictys the
fisherman married the beautiful Danae and
became the new king of the island. (Act
out each of the conclusions). Medusa’s head
was given to Athene to use in battle.
Announcer – That concludes our story.
Thanks for watching but now we must leave
Ancient Greece and return to the present
day.
Eleanor introduces theme tune and end with
it.
Invite parents to come for refreshments