Adventure on the high seas

Youngsters aged six to 16 took part in a special musical drama at Bowbridge Primary School, Newark, culminating in a performance in front of family and friends on Friday afternoon (April 13).

The project, funded by Newark Youth Trust, was run by the Nearly Instant Theatre Session.

The show, Nits On The High Seas, was partly improvised and partly scripted, with the children being helped in their acting, dancing and singing by leaders Flick Spear, Rebecca Ladds, Michael Bond, Oscar Morrey, Sarah Lee-Dicks and pianist Mike Willson.

The packed audience was taken back in time to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I who spent her time eating and drinking and making her court do lots of things for her. Eventually she decided she wanted some gold and made Sir Francis Drake take her and her courtiers on a voyage.

A lone islander, who talked to a rock called Frank, met some stowaways on a ship. They found half a treasure map inside a recorder and decided to hunt for it.

A group of evil and scary pirates, led by Black Eyed Johnson and his human parrot, are looking for rum and buried treasure and decide to wait for the Queen’s arrival.

A bunch of Spanish sailors, carrying two ladies on board, are after some gold and have to decide which country to look for it in.

Meanwhile, Sir Walter Raleigh is at sea, is attacked by the Spaniards and finds himself and his crew shipwrecked on a mysterious island.

The energetic production gave all the youngsters a chance to shine. Among the highlights were renditions of Happy Days Are Here Again, Y Viva Espagne, A Whole New World and If I Ruled The World. A thoroughly entertaining afternoon — DAB.