Grimm, M.D.: Fairy Tale Doctor
The world-renowned fairy tale diagnostician Dr. Grimm is having a very bad day. He’s got twins with type 2 diabetes, a boy the size of a thumb who needs massive doses of growth hormone, a gnome with an identity crisis, a princess with insomnia, and a wolf who needs a grannyectomy. And that’s just in the clinic. Grimm’s main case is a very pale girl who fell into a coma after eating a toxic candied apple. What could it be? Flexible casting, fast-moving, and lots of fun. About 75 minutes.
Productions
Behind The Scenes
Jim and Jane Jeffries talk about
GRIMM M.D.: FAIRY TALE DOCTOR
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS PLAY?
A: We grew up on Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes. When we got older, we read the unsanitized versions and, wowsers, they are pretty violent. We figured these characters could use extremely competent medical care.
Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART OR LINE IN THE PLAY? WHY?
A: GRIMM: (Looks at SNOW WHITE then back to JOLLY.) She’s your housekeeper? How’d you manage that?
JOLLY: She just showed up at the door one day.
GRIMM: Where do you live? And are there any houses for sale in your neighborhood?
JOLLY: We live in the woods. There is a tower for sale.
GRIMM: Really? How much?
JOLLY: $50,000.
GRIMM: What’s the catch?
JOLLY: No doors. You have to enter through a window via a blond ponytail.
GRIMM: I’ve entered homes in worse ways.
We like this because you have a fairy tale situation (Rapunzel’s tower) juxtaposed with modern real estate. A lot of the humor is built on this type of contrast.
Q: TELL US MORE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS.
A: Dr. Grimm is highly-intelligent and quick on his feet, but has overspecialized in fairy tale medicine. Dr. Bo Peep is his underling and specializes in nursery rhyme medicine. The rest are characters from fairy tales that need modern medical cures for their fairy bad illnesses.
Q: WHAT DID YOU TRY TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PLAY?
A: A lot of laughs. A few groans. The rare deep insight. Really rare. So rare as to be almost nonexistent.
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
A: This play is not nearly as disturbing as our source material. We hope.