His family name was Pirrip; but all who knew the boy called

him “Pip” for short, entirely forsaking his first name of Phillip.

To the villagers of the marsh country down near the river,

which wound twenty miles to the sea, he was pointed out as
the brother of Mrs. Joe Gargery who married the blacksmith.
It was expected that Pip would follow his brother-in-law’s
calling. No one ever expected he would become a young man
of great expectations, least of all, Pip.

As the orphaned son of Phillip and Georgiana Pirrip, it was

deemed fortunate for the boy that he held the affections of
the honest blacksmith and his loving but shrewish wife, never
having seen either of his parents, it was Pip’s pleasure at the
time to take himself to the village cemetery and there to
indulge his fancies in what he thought his parents were like.

The day before Christmas, Pip visited his parents, Phillip and
Georgiana’s grave. A noise in the shadows warned Pip of
danger.

A man with a knife leaped out of the shadows and quickly

grabbed Pip’s arm. The man held the knife over Pip’s heart.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Please don’t kill me, sir! I pray that you don’t do it!

Convict
Tell me your name!

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

It is Pip, sir. My name is Pip.

The man stared closely at Pip’s face as he spoke.

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 1

Convict
You are a young dog. What fat cheeks you have! I feel like
eating them!

The man moved the knife towards Pip’s face. Pip turned away.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Please don’t, sir! You wouldn’t do that!

Convict
Who do you live with…supposing you are going to continue to
live?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

I love with my sister, sir. Mrs. Joe Gargery. Her husband is the
blacksmith, sir.

Convict
A blacksmith?

The man pulled Pip closer to him to get his attention, and he
looked into his eyes.

Convict
Look here, the question is whether you’re to be allowed to live.
Do you know what a file is and what vittles are, boy?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Yes, sir. Yes I do.

Convict
Good. I want you to get me a file and vittles. Bring them both to
me or I will cut your heart and liver out!

The convict lied to Pip to frighten him more.

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 2

Convict
Never dare to make a sign or say a word about you having seen
a person such as me and you shall continue to live. Now, I am
not working alone as you think I am. There’s a young man
hiding out with me that makes me look like an angel. That
young man has a secret way of making little kids disappear. I
am keeping him from harming you at the present moment with
great difficulty! I just make the sign, and he will run out here.
Now, what do you say?

Pip was very frightened and answered quickly.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

I will get the file and the food for you!

The convict let go of Pip’s arm.

Convict
Remember that when you get home!

Pip ran away as he spoke.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Yes, I will, sir.

Pip returned home and stole some bread, cheese, and a bottle
of wine as the dawn’s early rays broke through the sky.

Pip then made a hasty visit to the forge where he took a file.

Swiftly, Pip made his way through the mist towards the
churchyard in order that he might return before Mrs. Gargery
noted his absence.

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 3

As Pip ran down the road, he noticed a man sitting under a
tree.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

That must be the young man the other one at the cemetery
spoke about.

Pip noticed that the man was sleeping, so he woke him up.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Sir, wake up. I have what your partner asked of me.

The man woke up, and feeling alarmed, the man pushed Pip
and disappeared into the fog.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

That was odd.

Pip got up, picked up his bag, and continued running to the
cemetery. When he arrived, he saw the convict in the
cemetery waiting for him by his parents grave.

Convict
What’s in the bottle, Pip?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

It’s brandy, sir.

Pip watched the convict drink the brandy and eat the bread.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

You don’t look well, sir.

Convict
I didn’t ask for your opinion!

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 4

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip
You have been living outside in the heat and the cold and
without clean water or proper nourishment.

Convict
I will eat my breakfast before I’m dead. I’m not worried about
my health.

The convict gobbled the food as he stared distrustfully at Pip.

Convict
You’re not a deceiving imp, are you, Pip? Did you bring anyone
with you?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

No, sir, no!

Convict
I believe you.

The convict took another big bite of the bread.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Aren’t you going to leave any of the food for your partner?

Convict
My partner?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Yes, the young man you spoke of that is hiding with you.

The convict remembered the lie he had told Pip about and he
laughed to himself.

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 5

Convict
Oh! Him! Yes, yes…he doesn’t want any vittles.

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

I thought he looked as if he did.

The convict was shocked by Pip’s revelation that there was

another escaped prisoner in the area.

Convict
Looked? When? Where?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

I found him asleep under a tree near the cemetery. I thought it
was you! He was dressed like you.

Convict
What did you notice about this man?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

He had a badly bruised face.

The convict placed his hand on the right side of his face under
his eye.

Convict
Did he have a bruise here on his face?

Phillip “Pip” Pirrip

Yes, he did.

The convict lowered his hand and looked towards the distance.

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 6

Convict
Show me the way he went. I am going to find him like a
bloodhound.

The convict looked down at his leg.

Convict
Curse this iron on my sore leg. Give me the file, boy!

Pip and the convict walked through the trees once the convict
had filed the iron off his legs, but they did not find the other
man.

Convict
He’s gone, but I will find him again. Remember, not to tell
anyone about me, Pip.

Pip nodded to the convict and ran home.

I hope your class enjoyed

reading this preview of Great
Expectations. Check out Mr.
Marvel’s other resources here:
https://www.teacherspayteache
rs.com/Store/Mr-Marvels-
Reader-Theatre-Resources

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 7

Copyright © 2021 Mr. Marvel Adaptations.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or

transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other
electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of Mr. Marvel.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or
dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Mr. Marvel Adaptations 8