David Wood
Dinosaurs And all that Rubbish

A musical play by David Wood and Peter Pontzen, from the book by Michael Foreman. Having plundered the earth’s resources man blasts off in his rocket in search of a better place. Once he has gone slumbering dinosaurs re-emerge from deep underground and vow to clean up the planet. Meanwhile, man, unimpressed with his new home, sees another, more beautiful star - this, he decides, will be his new paradise. But when he arrives he discovers that it is the newly cleaned-up earth. He begs the dinosaurs for a small share of its beauty.

Dinosaurs And all that Rubbish had its professional world premiere at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 1988 with Peter Duncan. Illustrated, plus music for eight songs. (Large cast of children, with choir and small orchestra)

“David Wood’s timely text was brought exuberantly to life by the Whirligig Theatre… a fable about the dangers of abusing the environment.”
~ Times Educational Supplement

“There is something about the Dinosaurs that is perennially appealing to the young, and it was an inspiration to present Man in his arrogance turning Paradise into a rubbish dump and then seeking escape to the nearest star in a rocket, only to find it completely arid and barren, proving the theory that the grass is greener on the other side is indeed a fallacy… the message obviously appealed to everyone in the audience… David Wood and Peter Pontzen’s musical play has just the right ingredients to please the young, who filled Sadler’s Wells to capacity the day I attended.”
~ The Stage

David Wood
The Old Man of Lochnagar

A musical play adapted from the highly successful story written by HRH The Prince of wales for his two younger brothers. The Old Man lives in a cave by a loch in the Highlands of Scotland. We follow his quest to save the Gorms - who use dye from the bristles of thistles to spray the white heather purple - from the menacing Giant Gormless who wants to put them in a circus. He goes under the sea, through the air and into Gorm Grotto, meeting a wealth of eccentric characters, including the Pig Eagle, a grumpy Grouse and a thrace of Loch-Haggis. The Old Man of Lochnagar was premiered by Whirligig Theatre at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen in 1986.
(Cast 6m, 6f). Illustrated.

“Marvellously inventive. The children adored it!”
~ Daily Telegraph

“It positively bristles with activity, crazed oddities and groan-producing puns... probably his best work to date.”
~ Ann Nugent, The Stage

“The sort of magic kids dream of!”
~ Western Morning News

David Wood
The See-Saw Tree

The See-Saw Tree takes a thoughtful but entertaining look at the world of an oak tree. The daily routine and domestic bickering of its animal community are shattered by the news that the tree is to be felled by the neighbouring supermarket to make way for a children’s playground and garish amusement park full of video games and slot machines. Their dilemma is shared with the audience, who help to determine the fate of Owl, Squirrel, Jay, Bat, Cuckoo, Dunnock, Rabbit and Mistlethrush. (Cast 4m, 4f)

“A strong message about conservation underpins The See-Saw Tree, but it is presented with great charm and fun which soften the didactic edges.”
~ Anne Fitzgerald, The Birmingham Post

“...provides an invaluable guideline to the young about the importance of the environment."
~ The Stage and Television Today

“No-one knows more about the needs of children’s theatre than gifted playwright-composer David Wood...”
~ Sylvia Rawlings, Evening Telegraph

"The See-Saw Tree is a brilliantly inventive, often amusing and sometimes even harrowing work."
~ Farnham Post

"Wonderful for children and exciting theatre for the adults..."
~ Farnham Herald

“...a play which is entertaining, educational and miraculously worthy without being heavy.”
~ Jo Bayne, Western Daily Press

“The kids were riveted [and] the verdict afterwards was unanimous. Wonderful.”
~ Anne McHardy, The Guardian