Boys Prep Major Production

October 01, 2018 | Boys’ Preparatory

THE JUNGLE BOOK

by Mrs Phillipa Bragge

Every two years the St Stithians Boys’ Prep community combines their creative forces to stage a Major School Production. Each boy in the school has a role to play, ranging from backstage crew to a lead character, and parents and teachers are hands on in bringing the production to life. The process involves months of preparation and is always a highlight on the school calendar.

Tickets sell fast and the school hall is packed to capacity every night. This year was no exception. The school staged their very own creative adaption of Rudyard Kipling’s classic, “The Jungle Book”.

This coming of age story, featured all the iconic scenes and songs and some added extras that no audience member could have expected. The well-loved Vulture scene seemed to be following closely the 1967 animated classic, until the “cousin” vultures from South Africa were introduced to the storyline and played a lively version of Sipho Hotstix Mabuse’s “Burnout” on their marimbas.

As we know, in the end Mowgli discovers the Man Village and he bids his Jungle Friends farewell. But in this adaptation, becoming part of the village was made even more enticing when 85 boys dressed in jewelled Bollywood style costumes, performed a very lively dance to the well-known “Jai Ho”.

Besides the polished dramatics, singing, instrument playing and dancing that took place on stage, the play was also a visual feast of artistic make-up and flashy costumes blending in with a beautiful jungle background for a set.

What a wonderful example of a community working together to produce such an enthralling piece of theatre. Congratulations to all students, teachers and parents involved!

The production’s message, finding a sense of identity and belonging, is one that resonates deeply in the school’s identity, where we focus on accepting our differences and appreciating diversity.