Database of Games » Acting and Dramatic

Old Woman From The Wood

gamepac — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:30:01 +0000

The players are divided into two even parties which face each other from a short distance. One party advances toward the other remarking “Here comes an old woman from the wood.” The second party answers “What canst thee do ” whereupon the old woman replies “Do anything ” The second party then says “Work away ” whereupon all the players in the first party proceed to imitate some occupation in which an old woman might engage and which they have previously agreed on among themselves such as sewing sweeping knitting digging a garden chopping wood kneading bread stirring cake washing ironing etc. The opposite party tries to guess from this pantomime the occupation indicated. Should they guess correctly they have a turn to perform in the same way. Should they be unable to guess correctly the first party retires decides on another action and returns. This form of the game is generally played by girls. Boys play the same game with different dialogue under the name of “Trades.”

When played in a playground or gymnasium where there is free space for running a successful guess should be followed by a chase of the actors by the guessing party any players caught before a designated goal line is reached having to join the party of their captors. The party wins which secures all of the players.

Old Buzzard

gamepac — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:30:01 +0000

This is one of the old dramatic games probably better known in America than any other of this type.

One player is chosen to represent the “Old Buzzard” another player represents a hen and the remainder are chickens. All the players circle around the buzzard saying in chorus –

“Chickany chickany crany crow
I went to the well to wash my toe
And when I came back a chicken was gone.”

The hen finishes by asking alone “What oclock is it old buzzard ” The buzzard crouches on the ground during the repetition of the verse going through the pantomime of building a fire with sticks and in answer to the question may name any hour as eight oclock nine oclock ten oclock. So long as the buzzard does not say twelve oclock the players continue to circle around repeating the verse the final question being asked each time by a different player until the buzzard finally says “Twelve oclock ” When this occurs the ring stands still and the following dialogue takes place between the buzzard and the hen –

Hen. Old buzzard old buzzard what are you doing
Buz. Picking up sticks.
Hen. What do you want the sticks for
Buz. To build a fire.
Hen. What are you building a fire for
Buz. To broil a chicken.
Hen. Where are you going to get the chicken
Buz. Out of your flock

The buzzard who keeps a crouching attitude with face downcast during this dialogue suddenly rises on the last words and chases the players who scatter precipitately. When a player is captured the buzzard brings him back lays him down and dresses him for dinner while the rest of the players group around. The buzzard asks of the captured chicken “Will you be picked or scraped ” and goes through the motions of picking feathers or scaling fish as the chicken decides. The buzzard then asks “Will you be pickled or salted ” “Will you be roasted or stewed ” each time administering to the recumbent chicken the appropriate manipulations. At the end he drags the victim to a corner and the game goes on with the remainder of the players.

Railroad Train

gamepac — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:30:01 +0000

Each player is named for some object on a train such as engine baggage car dining car smokestack boiler cylinders wheels oil coal engineer porter conductor etc. One person is chosen to be the train master. He says in narrative form “We must hurry and make up a train to go to Boston. I will take Number One engine and some coal have the bell rope in order be sure that the cushions are brushed in the sleeping car ” etc. As he names these objects the player bearing each name runs to the starter and lines up behind him each putting his hands on the shoulders of the one in front the first one placing his on the shoulders of the starter. When all are on the train the starter gives the signal for going and the whole train moves out on its journey which at the discretion of the starter will be up hill over obstacles down hill from others around loops and curves etc. and he may under suitable circumstances find a convenient place for a grand “smash-up” at the end.

For large numbers there should be several starters starting several trains at once and these may race for a given point at the end.

Kitty White

gamepac — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:30:01 +0000

This is an admirable game for very little children. Their dramatic tendency should be given full rein in impersonating the soft movements of the kitty and mousie before the chase begins.

Kitty White so slyly comes
To catch the Mousie Gray
But mousie hears her softly creep
And quickly runs away.

Run run run little mouse
Run all around the house
For Kitty White is coming near
And she will catch the mouse I fear.

One player is chosen for the mouse and stands in the center and another for Kitty White who stands outside of the circle. The other players join hands in a ring and move around while singing the first four lines. Meanwhile Kitty White is creeping around outside of the circle peeping in at little Mousie Gray. When the fourth line is reached “And quickly runs away ” the circle stops moving and drops hands while the mouse runs out and in through the circle chased by Kitty White. For the last four lines while the chase is going on the players in the circle stand in place and clap their hands while singing “Run run ” etc.

When the mousie is caught both return to the circle and another mouse and kitty are chosen.