ARABIAN EXTRAVAGANZA
School is lit up with the purple of an Arabian night, the scarlet of its days and the gold of its sands.
ALADDIN
On Friday 13th June, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, our secondary Drama group performed the play “Aladdin”, specially adapted and written for The British College by Lesley Langtry, head of the English and Drama Department. The play exploded on to the stage in a riot of colour, fun and laughter. From the opening number by the Primary Choir, who were a delightful bevy of veiled maidens and Arabian pirates, we knew it was going to be a magic carpet ride.
We booed the arch-baddie Wizard Abannazar and his even more wicked partner, the evil sorceress Lady Peacock, and we cheered the handsome rogue Aladdin and his faithful (and very funny) monkey friend Abu. To our horror, the greedy Sultan sold his unbelievably beautiful daughter Princess Jasmine to the bad Black Prince, (really Abannazar’s spoilt brat of a son Gazeem) . His adorable wife, The Sultana, could do nothing to help her poor daughter, but Jasmine was rescued by the White Prince (we knew it was really Aladdin in a lovely new suit).
Our own saucy Spice girls, Saffron, Cinnamon and Nutmeg charmed us in the market, assisted by pretty shoppers. The Spirit of the Cave got very cross, Mossflower was kind to the Princess, the Herald was magnificent, the High priest tried to do his job, Karim the slave spoiled the tea, the poor children were very poor indeed. Jasmine told the arrogant Prince Achmad to leave and take his expensive gifts with him. Hooray for the Princess!
The sparkling Ring Genie and her sister, the golden, gleaming Genie of the Lamp, were truly magical, and who will ever forget the Ringlettes (junior ring genies) as they sang and danced their way to light up the stage. Diamond was, of course, the brightest, but also full of vain pride, and sweet Emerald deserved to fall in love – with big-eared, but very lovable Abu. Ahhhhh!
It was very comforting to know that the safety of the kingdom, and the theatre, was in the hands of the bumbling but very brave Guards: Abdul, Dul-Ab and Ali. Thank you.
And thank you Aunties – Twankey and Twonkey, for making us laugh until we cried, then laughed again. You will stay in our memories and hearts for a very long time.
So the magic lamp was lost and found, Aladdin got his Princess and they ruled the land together, even the baddies found someone to love, and that, of course is the most important thing of all.
May we all live happily ever after.
(Review by Lesley Langtry)
