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Arabian Nights makes for a magical evening
Mike Thomas
The Regent’s School’s Senior School Production team
featured Arabian Nights in the Globe Theatre December 7 & 8.
El-Sindibad tells of his
adventures.
The theatre was transformed into a vast tent to house the
dreams and adventures of the world of Shaharazad and her 1001 Stories.
Skillfully adapted by Dominic Cooke for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s
production of 2008, this version selected 8 plays threaded by short but
effective linking scenes. In a real sense the audience became enveloped by
the intoxicating atmosphere and wild action, particularly the dog chase in
the Story of the Wife who would not Eat.
The play was framed by the story of Sharayar cruelly
betrayed by his Queen. As a result he determines to exact a brutal revenge
by marrying a wife for one night only - that is until the Vizier agrees to
his daughter Sharazad’s request to offer herself as wife. In order to fend
off the inevitable doom she tells stories to enchant her husband the king.
These ranged from the spectacular excitement of the flying birds and sea
voyages of Es-Sindibad to the haunting worlds of the Envious Sisters with
its stones that speak and the slapstick knockabout humour of The Little
Beggar. By the end of the play with its powerful tale of redemptive
self-enlightenment The Story without an Ending Sharayar has learnt powerful
truths about himself in order to be truly free.
Shaharazad casts her spell.
The production would not have been as effective without
the authority of the central performances, particularly Yulia Kudreyavyseva
as Shaharazad, David Hu as Sharayar, Triin Ounapuu as Dinarazad and Daniel
Bowler as the Vizier.
There were other excellent performances in the course of
the evening, including Ethan Northcutt as the elderly sea-salted Sindibad
looking back on his marvelous adventures, Julianne Dionissio as a
cruelly-treated Youngest Sister in the Envious Sisters and a newly married
wife about to be disappointed in Abu Hassan and Link Sae Jee who lightened
up the stage as the tailor in Little Beggar and Cook in Envious Sisters.
In truth, this was an ensemble production where every
student actor formed a vital thread in this most fantastical tapestry of
dreams which by turns amused and chilled them in such contrasting tales as
Abu Hassan and the flesh-eating ghouls of the Wife who Would not Eat. Much
of the action was depicted through the dexterity of body and voice bringing
the students’ physical theatre skills into sharp relief.
The Forty Thieves arrive at
the cave.
Indeed, all the 36 actors on stage deserve hearty
congratulations for their superb creativity and the sheer energy they
brought to their often many different roles which truly enveloped the
audience within these intoxicating visions.
The actors on stage were supported by a dedicated stage
management and technical team and particular congratulations should be given
to Gagic Beglaryanand and Kat Onufrieva who spent hours of dedicated work
helping to make the puppets; Tom Watkinson who stepped in to help backstage
and Gyu Meong Lim who led the technical sound and lighting team. Thanks,
too, to the gap staff Emily Westmoreland and Pona Litheko who supported the
production process from the very beginning.
Judging by the enthusiastic comments from the audience
afterwards this was a production that surprised and delighted and will
hopefully bring them back to the world of theatre many times into the
future. This production also supported the work of three of our community
partners, namely Kate’s Project, the Mercy Centre, Pattaya and the Camillian
Centre, Rayong.
Please note the future productions this academic year,
which will be headlined by that most well-loved of musicals, West Side Story
in June and, before that, a hugely entertaining talent-showcase Variety
Night for KS3 students in March.
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Sheraton throws Christmas party for Seaton center
Michael Delargy (right),
Sheraton Pattaya Resort general manager, hands out Christmas gifts to
youngsters from the Seaton Center.
Vittaya Yoondorn
Children from the Baan Phra-Khun Seaton Child Development
Center celebrated Christmas Dec. 26 with food, song and dance thanks to
holiday sponsors at Sheraton Pattaya Resort.
American John Seaton founded the center on Soi Khopai in
2005 with his wife Sukanya. The center offers education and day care for
only 20 baht per day.
Sheraton workers take their
putting on a stage show.
General Manager Michael Delargy opened the party, which
saw kids sing, dance and play games. There was a special dance performance
by the children from Baan Phra-Khun and then Sheraton workers took their
turn doing the same. Birthday cakes were also cut for kids who were born in
December. Capped off by gift exchanges, the party proved a fun day for all.
The theme of the day was “life is better when shared” and
for the employees and their children who made new friends, few would argue.
Children with birthdays in
December are treated to birthday cakes from the hotel.
The entire entourage takes
time out from all the fun to pose for a commemorative photo.
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Fr Ray Foundation flashes back to 1970s
Derek Franklin
Christmas in Thailand seems to be getting more
popular each year. In many shops, bars and restaurants there are more
lights, bigger trees and louder carols blaring out of the sound systems.
All the
children received a delicious bag of cookies.
The Father Ray Foundation decided to host a party for
all the children, students, workers and volunteers, and on the evening
of Monday the 26th December more than eight hundred people gathered
together to celebrate Christmas.
This is the first time that such a large party was
organised, but the aim was to unite all the children and students
together as one big family, recognize their hard work and give them a
party they would never forget.
The theme of the party was ‘70’s Disco’, and as most
children and students attending the event were not born in the 1970’s
there was a lot of confusion when the young children saw their teachers
dressed in the fashion of decades ago.
The blind students really
enjoyed their first Christmas party.
Thanks to a very generous benefactor, who donated
funds to be used specifically for a Christmas party, the children sat
down for a Chinese banquet while being entertained by many different
acts. The food was superb and the children were amazed at just how much
of it there was, and no matter how many dishes appeared there was not a
single grain of rice that went to waste.
The choir from the Vocational School for People with
Disabilities performed a wonderful selection of traditional Christmas
carols. This was followed by the teenagers from the Special Needs Center
whose performance saw the audience jumping to their feet and dancing
along.
The audience was once again on their feet when Miss
Apple, former student from the School for the Blind took to the stage to
perform a few numbers. The young blind students immediately recognized
the song she was singing and they too were on their feet dancing along.
The crowd loved Miss
Apple’s performance.
Highlight of the evening was when the foreign
volunteers climbed onto the stage to perform a medley of hits from the
1970’s. As the volunteers finished their last dance, and the sounds of
the Village People’s hit YMCA faded away, the ringing of bells saw the
arrival Santa Claus.
Most young children came running forward, all wanting
to shake the hand of Santa, but there were just as many who had never
met the big man in the red suit and they ran away screaming. That was
until the volunteers started throwing candy from the stage, and then
they soon came running back.
The children left with full bellies, armfuls of gifts and smiles on
their faces, all looking forward to next Christmas.
For many youngsters it
was their first time meeting Santa, and many ran away screaming.
The foreign volunteers
were the highlight of the evening.
Father Michael, director
of the Father Ray Foundation,
with the beautiful volunteers.
Not a grain of rice went
uneaten.
The teenagers from the
Special Needs Center getting ready to perform.
The choir from the
Vocational School for People with Disabilities.
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