It’s 1942: Stanley is an evacuee, sent away from the East End of London to avoid the bombing of The Blitz.
His only friends are a few other evacuees; a couple of the local girls like him – but the Village Gang are far from welcoming. And Stanley wants everyone to like him!
The Gang make his life a misery, by taunting and bullying him, simply because he’s ‘different’. However, Stanley’s upbringing in London has given him a cockney cheerfulness and worldliness to face almost anything.
Stanley hears about some children ‘couped up’ in a local orphanage – which he feels can’t be right. He comes up with a plan to set them free, but of course, he has no idea what to do with them! Fired up by his own frustration, he makes a stand against the bullies.
He takes on Sidney their leader, and challenges his authority. Although Sidney has lost his enthusiasm for the Gang, a fight ensues and Stanley is knocked unconscious and thrown into a lake. The Gang believe they have killed him; they’re scared and blame each other for what has happened.
Stanley has the last laugh when he frightens the life out of them – when he ‘rises’ from the dead! After this, they accept him and all the children are united into one big gang – ‘the best gang in the world!’.
World War II and Hitler's activities in Europe are the obvious undertone; the messages about prejudice, and bullying are clear – but the play is not just about morals and behaviour – it’s a light comedy showing children at play in the simplistic lifestyle of the early 1940’s.
WE'RE CERTAINLY HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH THIS DIDN'T WE!!
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