Sunday, June 10, 2007

Stuff I haven't done for a long time

Mogfa organised a fantastic tennis day yesterday at the courts opposite her house. I hadn't played tennis since I was quite young and I had a vague memory that I was never that good at it.

But I surprised myself. I took years of tennis lessons as a kid and after warming up yesterday, I could hit the ball reasonably well. I was a very competitive child and I suppose I was discouraged because other people in the tennis class were better than me.


After tennis we went out for dinner and then came home to watch the final of Any Dream Will Do, the talent show on BBC1, in which contestants have been competing for the lead role in a new production of 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'.


I've loved the show. It's had even more tears and drama than last year's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?. And it reminds me of a crucial time in my own singing career.

The primary schools of the Northern Beaches were combining their choirs for an annual concert. The combined choir was going to sing the songs of JATD and each school was asked to nominate a student to compete for the chance to sing solo.

I was my school's entry and I thought I had a good chance. I had the name and my 'Close Every Door to Me' was in tune and hauntingly high pitched. I'd already had the lead role in the infants school musical.

But, in front of several hundred children, I was beaten in the sing-off by a fat boy whose voice was even higher than mine. It was the end.

Not long after that, the choir teacher who had nominated me left the school. The new choir teacher put girls in all the leading roles (including the male ones) in the primary school musicals.

I remember being incensed when the smallest girl in the grade was cast in the lead role as a pirate captain. I guess the teacher thought the irony was hilarious.

Meanwhile, my friend Mty (pictured also at tennis yesterday), who was an incredibly talented actor and later went on to study at NIDA, was cast as a lesser pirate (possibly the only boy who got a significant speaking role). I knew that he had been robbed.


It's funny how these things stick with you. Several years ago the pirate captain was charged with armed robbery. I felt like justice had finally been done.

Did I mention that I was a competitive child?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

As soon as I read 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat' I immediately thought of the primary school choir! Can you believe I still have the original lyrics we were given?

I have to say that as one of the more shy members of the choir I missed all the competitiveness for the main roles. I don't even remember which play it was that had pirate roles?!

But I do remember that 'pirate' person being extremely annoying. That's really shocking about the armed robbery though! How did you hear about that?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, it was me who wrote the above comment.

Joe said...

haha... I think it was the school play when we were in year 5. It was one of the ones that Mr W wrote himself.

You mean you didn't know about her criminal activities?!? She (and several others including her brother) robbed several places including the McDonalds where she used to be the manager...

Anonymous said...

I heard about her brother, but I didn't know she was involved too. So are they both in prison now?!? It's kind of scary what people you know are capable of.

Joe said...

haha... yes I had it confirmed by M's brother who is visiting London.

Iqbal Khaldun said...

Love the hair.