When the pupils of 9B ( 3B at the time the play was written ) arrive in Italy on a cultural exchange visit, little do they realize that they are going to have to contend not only with a strange language, foreign food and a gang of Italian boys who seem intent on re-running World War II, but also a sea monster which has been terrorizing the town.
With the help of their long-suffering teacher, the boys of 9B destroy the monster and even manage to reach a sort of détente with the local youths. You might find a moral in all this but it was just designed as a fun show for performers and audiences alike.
Originally designed to allow a very large cast (of seventy) to all make a significant contribution to the production, the play can be performed with fewer people, and with more female roles than are shown in the cast list. Large mimed sequences allow physical theatre skills to be used and there are wonderful opportunities to use music and to construct elaborate (or simple) sets. There is also the monster to be created.