Bongo Bandits steal hearts in school production

FLOSSY Baba – did you know that’s Ali Baba’s mum? She sells rugs for a good price. And carpets with a hole? That would be... the wholesale price.

Chloe Darke’s character was just one star of Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits, Āria School’s whimsical Arabian desert-themed production, held last Thursday.

Ali himself came to life thanks to Tonowai Bodger-Kearns, while a charmingly wicked Kadius Young played Mustapha Widdle, the conniving Grand Vizier.

The whole cast sung to Aavia Coffin’s Humphrey the Camel about how much they adored their “lumpy friend”, while Mila Ormsby played the Genie of the Ketchup – a djinn who sprang from a huge bottle of Watties tomato sauce.

The competition was tight – but perhaps the most amusingly named character was Sheik Yabuti, played by Isaac Alcock.

His mates were Sheik Aleg and Sheik Yahand (Hunter Cox and Dylan Darke).

Principal Pam Voyce said doing the production was always “incredibly good for the children”.

It was always a thrill to watch kids start off as five-year-olds with small parts, before taking on bigger roles as seniors, she said.

“People sometimes ask me why we do it every year, and why we get the littlies up on stage, but it’s just so good for the students. They learn so much.”

Teacher Alicia Benefield’s senior class was responsible for the sets.

“My role with room one was to sort out the props. We had a design and technology unit that we did in week two; the kids created a lot of the props themselves,” Alicia said.

“They did such a good job. And then in week three we assembled them all, to be in full use in week four.

“The cave was a highlight of mine, and the barrels, because their role is so funny in the production – the kids pop up and down behind them.

“100%, it was a whole school effort. Everyone had their part, and all of the lights and the sound effects were obviously done by the children. So it was all very much student orientated and led,” Alicia said.

“The camel is gorgeous, but that wasn’t one that we had to create. Mrs Voyce did a lot of the costumes.”

The kids gave rave reviews of the experience. They had especially loved having grandparents and other whānau travel from all around New Zealand just to see them.

“I had 63 lines,” Flossy Baba AKA Chloe Darke said.

“We practised for two weeks to get our production perfect. We performed in front of about 200 people on the 17th of August night and day.”

As a year 6, it was her last production, but she said she couldn’t wait to be in the audience next year.

Izaiah Eccles said he’d enjoyed acting in the play, although he wasn’t considering a career as an actor when he grew up.

Year 4 Waitaria Bodger-Kearns played Princes Satsuma, a plum role.

“I thought our production went well. I think it was one of the best we had ever done,” Waitaria said.

Olivia Brown thought bumbling bandits Dusty and Sandy were the funniest characters – perhaps why she and Saskia Watkins chose to play them.

Year 6 Aria Newton played Sultan Pepper, a mighty good man.

“I was shy and scared, but I got used to it in the end.

“I wish I could do the production again later in the year,” she said.

Laveila Young played Booboo the monkey.

“It was so fun singing and dancing... I felt anxious but good,” she said.

Chloe’s mum Emma Darke – whose other children Cody and Dylan also appeared – had loved it.

“Every year you wonder how the next year will go as the ‘seasoned seniors’ move on to secondary school, but it’s amazing how the new big kids step up and shine. Some very entertaining lines this year, and great performances. Such talent in a little rural school.

“I am very proud of all the kids – it’s a big deal for them being on stage in front of so many people, and a new scary experience for a lot of the juniors. Many of the kids have a lot of lines to remember, and I love how they all support one another with this.

“Fantastic effort and superb organisation by the Aria school teachers and support staff,” Emma said.

Piopio College lent Āria the lights, bleachers and stages, while funding came from the Waitomo District Creative Communities.

Playwright Craig Hawes created the script.