Nothing could be done before the completion of Peter Pan The Musical, not quite one of those deadlines beyond which there cannot be any deadlines, eg Christmas, New Year, change of century, those sort of events, but certainly due to the show’s way of consuming all time it was an appropriate deadline AFTER which other things could be done.
All in all the show went well. The music was arranged and played magnificently, that coming from a Drama teacher’s ear, one that is not clearly as skilled as a Music teacher and all the set-piece scenes came off: Peter and Wendy went their separate ways at the end, the lost boys found a new home and Captain Hook got eaten by his nemesis The Chinese Lion. Yes, The Chinese Lion. The Art department had several on display and, well it seemed like a better idea than a crocodile. The Chinese Lion still had the same predilection for ticking alarm clocks though. I arranged the play in the round being of that strange Drama teacher breed that doesn’t really like raised stages and as a result of that it was significantly different to previous school shows, got loads more cast involved (13 Tinkerbelles) and enabled the creation of two mini-pirate ships. When I arrived at the school, during the two weeks of induction, a crèche was laid on for the children. One of the most popular activities for them were the scooters and tricycles borrowed from the Early Years Centre. The tricycles were extremely sturdy affairs that could be pedalled at great speed around the sports hall. Once I had seen one child pedalling while another stood on the back shouting furiously it was a very short mental leap to envisage mini-pirate ships being pedalled around the performing area by blood-thirsty pirates. Some splendid work from the D&T teachers and fantastic painting by Art colleagues and we had a piratey equivalent of Wacky Races. They did get quite a laugh from the audience, especially those who obeyed the orders of Captain Hook to turn off their mobile phones. Now the pondering for next year’s show begins again in earnest.
And so Christmas holidays have begun, well officially it is the end of term one holiday. Kuala Lumpur has embraced the opportunity to sell loads of stuff to people that you would never normally consider buying just like the UK. Shopping malls are festooned with posters advertising Christmas bargains, pictures of Santa and snow. All quite bizarre in 30 degrees of heat. Because it is now officially the holiday season we have allowed the children to put up our Christmas tree, bought for RM99 from Cold Storage supermarket. It is the first Lawrence artificial tree. Real ones are apparently available from IKEA but because I can’t stand IKEA they can carry on being available from there. The mock tree almost came out of its box within in minutes of purchase due to an ‘accident.’ Trixie claimed to have accidently opened the box. Many things can happen by accident as we all know, just like those items that never get sent get lost in the post. However opening the Christmas tree box by accident? Right. As I write Trixie is colouring moustaches and beards on people in yesterday’s paper, deliberately. Nothing accidental about that.
Trixie had butterflies drawn on her yesterday afternoon as part of the entertainment at a fellow year one’s birthday party. The part was an elaborate affair involving, as well as face-painting, nail painting, various craft activities, an announcer using a PA system and refreshments for adults provided by The English Tea Company, including fine bone china and fine styro-foam water cups. As I watched various well-heeled mothers and slightly confused looking fathers drinking tea and nibbling on sweetmeats I did yearn for pass the parcel, the hat/scarf/gloves chocolate bar game musical bumps. Party luddite? Surely kids parties should be about charging around at high speed getting tired out and then eating egg-sandwiches, chocolate cake and drinking lashings of cold squash. I am no Enid Blyton but I do like a good party.