James and the Giant Peach Synopsis
Act 1 (45 minutes)
On a tour of New York City, a tour guide’s final stop is the home of James, his insect
friends, and a giant peach stone house. James introduces himself and his friends, Old
Green Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug, Earthworm, and Miss Spider, who all happen
to have found great success in their careers. Knowing the audience might be curious
how this strange situation came to be, James tells their story.
Long ago, James lived a happy life with his parents in England. One day, when James
was very young, his parents went to London. But, while wandering the city shopping,
they were tragically killed by an escaped rhinoceros.
A very sad James was sent miles away to live with his horrible aunts, Aunt Sponge and
Aunt Spiker. When he arrives, Aunt Spiker tears his teddy bear’s head off its body while
telling him he won’t need toys any more. They both demand he get to work cleaning
and cooking for them.
Years pass and James continues to slave away for his awful aunts. While they
sunbathe and sip cold beverages, poor James must work. He dreams of playing or
reading a book or climbing the old peach tree in the yard. Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker
call James ugly names and threaten to lock him up if he doesn’t work. When his aunts
begin to fight about who is more beautiful, they notice James watching and threaten to
beat him. Instead, they angrily stomp off.
Suddenly, James sees a small old man. Although James is frightened, he approaches
the old man when beckoned. The old man shows James a bag filled with glowing green
things. He tells James they are crocodile tongues and, if James consumes them, they
will do “marvelous, magical things” for James. As James takes the bag, the old man
warns him not to let them escape. Aunt Sponge enters, banging a saucepan and
screaming James’s name. But, James stays hidden until she leaves. Oh, no! James
trips over the peach tree and all the crocodile tongues tumble out of the bag. He tries to
gather them, but they crawl away. Defeated, James falls asleep.
The next morning, Aunt Spiker wakes James and demands that he go back in the
house and cook their breakfast. The aunts notice a big peach has grown overnight on
the peach tree. They are shocked! The tree had never borne fruit before. They call for
James to come and pick the peach for them. But, as they watch, it grows bigger and
bigger. It’s a giant peach now! Although they want to eat it, Aunt Spiker realizes this
peach could make a lot of money for them.
A TV reporter interviews Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker in front of the peach tree.
People have come from all over to see it, much to the aunts’ greedy happiness. And,
