This has long been one of my favorite short stories. With elements of winter, a change of heart and the Christ Child, I think it is perfect for Christmas time. I hope in the future to turn it into a children’s opera or musical. For now, enjoy the ‘one act’ version.

THE SELFISH GIANT script (PDF)

I’m including both a PDF for you to download and an excerpt from the script on this page. Any organization or company charging admission should contact me about ‘grand rights’ (performance royalties - I ask for $1 per ticket sold or 10% of the gross ticket sales, whichever is greater). Otherwise, if you are performing free, its nice to know when something is used; please drop me a line through the contact form (see the menu above).

The Excerpt:

The Selfish Giant
A One Act Play
by M Ryan Taylor

Based on:
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde

Copyright © 2010 M Ryan Taylor
May be copied and performed freely by groups not charging admission or taking donations at performances.

Contact M Ryan Taylor (see menu) for information on grand rights and performance royalties.

THE SELFISH GIANT

[An OLD GIANT addresses the audience directly. The action plays out behind him as he describes it.]

OLD GIANT
I once owned a large, lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them . . .

Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in MY garden . . . but one day I came back.

I had been to visit my friend the Cornish ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over I had said all that I had to say, and I determined to return to my own castle. When I arrived I saw children playing in MY garden.

THE GIANT
What are you doing here?

[The children run away.]

THE GIANT
My own garden is my own garden; any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself.

[The old giant points out the younger giant working on a wall, putting up a sign and then listening at the wall.]

OLD GIANT
So I built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board:

    TRESPASSERS
    WILL BE
    PROSECUTED

I heard the children whispering outside the wall on their way to school.

TALL GIRL
Now we have nowhere to play.

SHORT BOY
We can play on the road.

SQUARE GIRL
But the road is very dusty.

GRACEFUL GIRL
And full of hard stones.

ROUND BOY
I don’t like it.

GRACEFUL GIRL
Let’s walk around the wall when our lessons are over. At least we can talk about the beautiful garden inside.

TALL GIRL

How happy we were there.

ROUND BOY

He is a very very selfish Giant.

[The Giant opens a door in the wall and shouts at the children.]

THE GIANT
AAAGH! My own garden is my own garden; any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself!

[The children scatter.]

OLD GIANT
Then the Spring came, and all over the country there were little blossoms and little birds. Only in my garden it was still Winter . . .

END OF EXCERPT : Download the full version, THE SELFISH GIANT script (PDF).