the rainbow fish
Quick post about The Bun's school play. In addition to my epic read, I am also working my way through the Pirates of the Caribbean movies that are being screened on TV and tonight is the last instalment. Hard to believe that two weeks ago, I had never watched a single Pirates movie, although I vaguely knew what the plotline was. That's me and my patchy grasp of pop culture.
The Bun's school show was on last week. It involved the entire Lower School (Nursery to Year 2 classes) and it was a musical adaptation of the popular children's book The Rainbow Fish. In preparation for this The Bun was singing songs, both in French and in English, from the play nonstop. He told me that the teachers told them to practise each song ten times a day, and he took their instructions to heart and then some. At first it was endearing. Then it was repetitive. Later on, listening to yet another 'I Can Sing a Rainbow' made me want to slit my wrists. Eventually I banned him from singing in the kitchen and in my bedroom (i.e. in places where I was most often in) because it was driving me crazy. I felt a bit bad doing this because who tells their own kid to stop singing their heart out? It got to the point where The Bun told me that maybe I shouldn't go to see the show after all, because everyone there would be singing and it would 'make me cross'. After this I bit my tongue and escaped to a (rather overworked) secret happy place inside my head where everything was muffled and I could pretend to be deaf.
But of course the show was lovely, lovely in the way only indulgent parents like J and I and the rest of the audience could see. It wasn't fancy at all and quite lo-tech, held in the school gym with no special lights or props or costumes, and only a piano and some music from a CD for accompaniment. Everything was crafted by the kids and teachers - the decorations were made out of handprints from all the Lower School children, the costumes were just color-coordinated clothes and hats made out of construction paper, and even the programme cover had been drawn by one of the kids and then photocopied in the school office.
The Nursery and Reception classes were herded in for their segments and then out again, back to their classrooms, because it was obvious they wouldn't be able to sit around in the background onstage during all the other bits without yawning, fighting, or squirming. The Bun told me they got to hang out in their classroom and watch a cartoon or play. Years 1 and 2 got most of the attention with more songs and better costumes, and everyone in Year 2 got a speaking part, which was quite adorable. There were many many songs sung by everyone (including a rendition of The Beatles' 'A Little Help From My Friends'!) and the headmaster got up at the end to play the accordion for the last song. Despite grumbling about the nonstop singing at home, I waved madly at The Bun each time he looked our way and Bao on my lap clapped along with me at the end of each song.
I can't believe the school year is coming to an end. Half-term is next week, and then there's a few more weeks of school and then it will be the summer break. How can it be almost June already?
The Bun's school show was on last week. It involved the entire Lower School (Nursery to Year 2 classes) and it was a musical adaptation of the popular children's book The Rainbow Fish. In preparation for this The Bun was singing songs, both in French and in English, from the play nonstop. He told me that the teachers told them to practise each song ten times a day, and he took their instructions to heart and then some. At first it was endearing. Then it was repetitive. Later on, listening to yet another 'I Can Sing a Rainbow' made me want to slit my wrists. Eventually I banned him from singing in the kitchen and in my bedroom (i.e. in places where I was most often in) because it was driving me crazy. I felt a bit bad doing this because who tells their own kid to stop singing their heart out? It got to the point where The Bun told me that maybe I shouldn't go to see the show after all, because everyone there would be singing and it would 'make me cross'. After this I bit my tongue and escaped to a (rather overworked) secret happy place inside my head where everything was muffled and I could pretend to be deaf.
But of course the show was lovely, lovely in the way only indulgent parents like J and I and the rest of the audience could see. It wasn't fancy at all and quite lo-tech, held in the school gym with no special lights or props or costumes, and only a piano and some music from a CD for accompaniment. Everything was crafted by the kids and teachers - the decorations were made out of handprints from all the Lower School children, the costumes were just color-coordinated clothes and hats made out of construction paper, and even the programme cover had been drawn by one of the kids and then photocopied in the school office.
The Nursery and Reception classes were herded in for their segments and then out again, back to their classrooms, because it was obvious they wouldn't be able to sit around in the background onstage during all the other bits without yawning, fighting, or squirming. The Bun told me they got to hang out in their classroom and watch a cartoon or play. Years 1 and 2 got most of the attention with more songs and better costumes, and everyone in Year 2 got a speaking part, which was quite adorable. There were many many songs sung by everyone (including a rendition of The Beatles' 'A Little Help From My Friends'!) and the headmaster got up at the end to play the accordion for the last song. Despite grumbling about the nonstop singing at home, I waved madly at The Bun each time he looked our way and Bao on my lap clapped along with me at the end of each song.
I can't believe the school year is coming to an end. Half-term is next week, and then there's a few more weeks of school and then it will be the summer break. How can it be almost June already?