SCHEHERAZADE AND SULTAN DELIGHTS
The penultimate week of June saw the Prep School Hall transformed into an Aladdin’s cave of treasure and mystery. The stage was set for the Year 5 and 6 production of Scheherazade and her Tales of the Arabian Nights.
As the lights rose, on stage three children were hunting for a birthday present for their Grandfather in a junk shop full of oriental charms. They wanted to buy him something different to the normal gift of socks. They discovered an old book called ‘Tales of the Arabian Nights’. A mysterious character, whom the children assumed was the shopkeeper, appeared and began to tell them a story all about Princess Scheherazade.
The children transported the audience back in time, they saw Princess Scheherazade try and break the curse placed on the bitter and cruel Sultan. By telling the Sultan new stories every night, she managed to halt his cruel habit of killing his brides. Scheherazade told the Sultan tales of a beggar, stories of Ali Baba and of a genie.
During the performance, Nursery children were highly entertained by the Sultan (played by Josh Shaw) who was repeatedly persuaded by his most trusted advisor, the Vizier (played by Oliver Nathan), to return the next day, as opposed to killing his current bride. A special mention also has to go to both Annabel Munro (Scheherazade) and Lucy Rodgerson (Dinazade) who both had beautiful solos and helped narrate this fantastic tale.
The show was full of wonderful colours and costumes – including our Genie (Evie Kennett) who entered and exited the stage in a puff of smoke. All the children not only acted and sang delightfully, but also took part in some brilliant dance routines. The stage was alive and the audience were truly blown away by the confidence and capabilities of the children.
Stephanie Sheppard, Head of Prep English