The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew

The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew is a children's play about an honest knight named Sir Oblong Fitz Oblong who accepts a mission to bring order to the Last Remaining Dragon Islands. The islands are under the control of the wealthy and corrupt Baron Bolligrew and his servant Squire Blackheart. The story follows Sir Oblong as he encounters dragons, deals with the scheming Baron, and works to protect the common people of the islands. Along his journey, he receives help from Doctor Moloch, a mysterious magician who becomes his ally. The conflict centers on Sir Oblong's attempts to establish justice and fairness in a place where might and money have long determined right. Through clever dialogue and theatrical elements, the play moves between moments of drama and humor. This play explores themes of courage, integrity, and the struggle between good and evil in ways that speak to both children and adults. The text raises questions about power, justice, and what it means to do the right thing even when faced with difficult odds.

Readers describe this as a playful children's story that works on multiple levels. Parents note it serves as both a moral tale and an entertaining adventure with dragons and knights. Likes: - Strong humor that appeals to both children and adults - Works well as a stage play for schools - Memorable character names and wordplay - Clear good vs. evil themes that avoid being heavy-handed Dislikes: - Some find the moral messaging too obvious - Plot can feel predictable - Limited availability of the book in print Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (12 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Perfect for teaching kids about standing up to bullies" - Goodreads reviewer "The dialogue is clever without being pretentious" - Amazon review "We performed this in school 30 years ago and I still remember the lines" - Theatre teacher on Goodreads

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🎭 Robert Bolt wrote the acclaimed screenplay for "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) and won Academy Awards for both "Doctor Zhivago" and "A Man for All Seasons" 📚 The play was originally written for children's television and first broadcast by BBC Television in 1964 before being adapted for stage 🐲 While dragons are often portrayed as evil in medieval tales, the dragon in this story is more complex and becomes an unlikely ally ⚔️ The story combines elements of medieval morality plays with modern humor, making it accessible to both children and adults 🎪 The play's structure draws inspiration from traveling theater troupes of the Middle Ages, with characters directly addressing the audience in a style known as "breaking the fourth wall"