Professional Pirate

We had Climber's Grade 1-2 school concert yesterday. Cherub and I went to the matinee together (Dark, he said loudly as soon as the lights went down). In the evening I went off to teach, Crafty came over to babysit, Climber got taken to the theatre by another parent and Fixit walked to the theatre where he met up with a friend; the complications of being a one-car family when one of us works nights. We got the spare ticket for Nell originally but she has just left for a 3-week jaunt to Yorkshire, half her luck.

The overall concert theme was Songs of the Sea. Our teacher's nautical choice was pirates. Arrrrr.



A goodly chunk of Climber's costume came from my everyday wardrobe, being as I am a fan of stripes. He looked askance at the frilly shirt until reassured of its piratical-ness. The thing is, he's seen me wear it and I don't look at ALL pirate-y in it. Wench-y, yes. Pirate-y, most definitely not. As for the jewelled belt, that came from some 80s skirt, long gone, and remains in my costume drawer as a memento of how small my waist was back in those days...

The songs they performed were from The Muppets Treasure Island. I helped out with the choreography on the Professional Pirate song. I had the class work in pairs, one as the 'professional' pirate and the other as their apprentice. I asked for the learner pirates to wear L-plates like a learner driver does and their teacher delighted me by making them with a piratical font. Of course the ratbag forgot his. But apart from that he was great. They all were.

As for The Climber, bless his little stripey socks. He rocked. With his bandanna almost covering his eyes and his socks fallen down to his ankles. Sang, dance and acted his little heart out. So much so that at the end after the rousing finish which concluded with them all having their arms raised, he kept his up while the applause rang round and every one else in the class had dropped theirs and were standing or wandering around looking vaguely lost. Just my Climber, arms straight and strong, holding his final pose. And holding. Thus...

Afterwards, Cherub and I waited at the stage door to greet the star. Once more, his little brother was his biggest fan.