On Friday October 18, Burren Junction Public School treated more than 120 people from around the district to a stellar performance of a musical play they wrote themselves called ‘Crazy Rich Egyptians’.

The talented Lucinda Stump helped the students write the wonderful and wacky script that included witty lines and a variety of characters from Mary Poppins and Cleopatra to Sherlock Holmes and slave children.

From the moment the curtains opened on the new School of Arts Hall stage the audience was captivated and very impressed by the spectacular costumes.

Set in Ancient Egypt, the play focused on a ‘vain and aging rapper’ named Pharaoh Rocher and his evil Grand Vizier who had been mistreating slaves for decades in an expensive quest to defeat rivals in the Pyramid Competition.

Of course, there were romantic twists – the slave leader Antony fell in love with the Pharaoh’s daughter Cleopatra and all the slaves revolted.

Antony tried to reassure them that when Lord Carnarvon, Sherlock Holmes and Mary Poppins, who were excavating in the Valley of the Kings, found treasure there would be enough money to pay all the slaves.

The plot soon thickened when Sherlock and Miss Poppins discovered some shipwrecked Spanish nobles sheltering in the Valley.

The Spanish nobles were taken to the Royal Palace where the Pharaoh fell in love with the Spanish Princess and thought she would make a lovely wife and heiress.

“Not only because she was dripping in jewels and had a cache of gold but also because – ‘what’s a Phar-aoh without a Phar-ess?’, said teacher Mrs Stump when explaining the synopsis.

The play then became a love story – Antony and Cleopatra, the Pharaoh and Princess Marguerita of Seville and Sherlock Holmes and Mary Poppins.

To add to the crowd’s amusement, there was a humorous sub plot about working conditions as the Spanish Count and Countess worked with the Princess to help the embattled slaves persuade the Egyptians to introduce modern day work practices and terms of pay including paternity leave and rostered days off.

Thankfully there was a happy ending with a big Spanish Fiesta.

After the curtain call and a huge round of applause, students presented Mrs Stump with a pot plant to say thank you for her hard work and the efforts of others including stagehands, costume sewers and sound technicians were also recognised.

Audience members were encouraged to dress to the Spanish or Egyptian themes and following the performance enjoyed Spanish food cooked by Genevieve Sendall.

Head of the P and C Toby Moore said the production would not have been possible without a grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, as well as a donation from Telstra.
Mrs Stump said it was great to see the hall ‘bursting with life’.

“There were four high-octane musical numbers choreographed by Mareka Deacon and the kinder and year 1 soldiers stole the show.

“I am so proud of these wonderful children and all the parent volunteers and school staff who helped pull this wacky performance off.

“It has been like being part of a 50 strong sporting team where every single person has had to do their part to make it such a great event.”

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