Watch the original version of Flushed Away
The Uptown Rat
It all started when a rat was living an uptown life in a nice penthouse apartment in London. This rat, whose name was Jersey, was a happy and content creature, in spite of its humble beginnings. The penthouse had been provided by kind-hearted humans who had found him, stowaway on a boat, and taken him in as a beloved pet.
Although Jersey lived lavishly, dining on the finest scraps of food, and sleeping in the most comfy bedding, he was still very much a rat. He had been trained to perform tricks and amuse his owners, but he never could have imagined what fate had in store for him that day.
While Jersey was out scavenging for food, something terrible happened. One of Jersey’s owners, an elderly lady who was not in the best of health, decided to flush the toilet without paying attention to what was inside. The next thing Jersey knew was that he was being flushed – down, down, down – into the dark depths of London’s sewers.
As Jersey tumbled and spun, the unimaginable world of the sewers began to unfold before him. He saw rats of all colours, shapes and sizes living in the shadows, scavenging for food, and doing their best to survive in this strange new world.
At first, Jersey was overwhelmed and wanted to go home. But, as he looked around and realised how different this place was compared to his former home, he slowly began to feel at home. He made friends with the other rats, who taught him how to survive in the sewers. He learned how to scavenge for food, not to panic in the dark, and to be wary of danger.
What was once a strange and frightening place soon became Jersey’s new home. He started a family and had several babies, and he was proud to pass on the lessons he had learned from his new friends.
One night, Jersey was out scavenging as usual when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. He turned around to see his owners, who had been searching for him ever since the accident. They were relieved to find him safe and sound, and they thanked Jersey’s rat friends profusely for looking after him.
The owners were so grateful that they decided to reward the rat community by building them a state-of-the-art rat palace, complete with food, comfy beds, and even a swimming pool!
From that day forward, the rat palace became a safe haven for all the rats of London. Jersey and his rat family were living happily ever after in their new home, while they were forever grateful to their kind-hearted owners for giving them a second chance in life.
The End.
Scene 1
(In the luxury penthouse apartment of the rat, light classical music is playing in the background. The rat, a well-groomed creature with a dashing waist-coat, is dining on gourmet cheeses and enjoying a glass of wine.)
Rat: Ahh, my favorite dinner. What more could a rat living in the lap of luxury ask for?
(Suddenly, his meal is interrupted by a loud flush. The rat scampers to the corner of the room as the toilet gurgles ominously.)
Rat: What in the world?
(The rat looks around in confusion, just as the toilet flushes again. He is quickly sucked in and disappears down the drain.)
Scene 2
(The rat finds himself in the sewers of London, surrounded by disgusting creatures and a thick, murky slime. He looks around aghast.)
Rat: What have I gotten myself into?
(He spots a rat nearby, wearing an old pair of overalls and a bandanna on his head.)
Rat 2: Hey there, mate! Welcome to the sewers. I’m Tommy.
Rat: Where am I?
Tommy: You’re in the sewers, mate. The only way out is through.
Rat: What do you mean?
Tommy: You gotta learn the ropes if you want to survive. There’s a whole world down here you don’t know about.
Scene 3
(The rat follows Tommy through the sewers, learning about the different creatures that live there and the underground economy. After a few days, he is starting to adjust to his new life.)
Rat: It’s amazing how much there is to learn!
(He spots a group of rats playing a game of cards in a corner. He smiles as he watches them.)
Tommy: Come on, join them. They don’t bite.
(The rat tentatively joins the game, and before long he is laughing and having a good time. He has found a place among the rats of the sewers.)
Scene 4
(Months have passed, and the rat has made friends and adjusted to his new life. He finds himself looking out a grate, watching the people of London go about their business. He turns to Tommy.)
Rat: It’s weird to think that this is all so far away from where I used to live.
Tommy: That it is. But you made it down here, just like all of us. And now it’s home.
(The rat smiles, feeling a renewed sense of belonging. He stands up, ready to take on his new life.)
Rat: Let’s go, Tommy. There’s still a lot of sewers to explore!
