Based on an English folk tale, this uproarious longer one act follows the adventures of Jack, whose two older brothers, also named Jack, have gone off to rescue the King of Scotland's Daughter from the terrifying Red Ettin, a three headed bull creature who devours and barbecues all the young Jacks who show up there. Along the way, Jack learns what it's like to be trapped in a fairy tale, falls for the somewhat crabby Princess, encounters an unexpectedly philosophical but dangerous monster, and discovers that his path to salvation is destined to involve a baseball bat, roller skates and meat tenderizer. Would make a good companion piece to some of Nigro's other plays inspired by folk and fairy tales:
Briar Rose, Mollie Whuppie, The Rat-Catcher's Tale, Fundevogel, The Well of the World's End, Binnorie, The Drowned Moon.
Published in Le Fanu's Dream & Other Plays.