WARNING: There will not be a photo to accompany this story. Attempting to photograph this episode in the new Esham household would have totally ruined the moment. Read on and enjoy conjuring your own images of our budding dramatist/artistic director/composer.
Our family has been reading a wonderful and rather long chapter book called _Dragon Keeper_, by Carole Wilkinson. Two nights ago Oliver decided it was time to mount a show that would tell the story. What a felicitous moment! I told him I had just been thinking it would be cool to tell the story in the style of Peter and the Wolf, in which each character gets their own tune. Another felicitous moment, as Oliver had just that day rediscovered his penny whistle following our move. (Yes, it is a nice place; you should come visit!) So Oliver arranged us: he would play the music, papa would operate the puppets (imaginary), and I would stroll our hallway (we have a hallway!), remarking on a poster advertising a performance of DK.
This I did, and I ended up on our couch with the musician and player behind. Oliver directed papa for each scene, then played musical accompaniment as Philip raised his hands over his head, making the puppets do the appropriate movements. I was spectator and narrator, parroting back the scene Oliver had ordered. Oliver decided when these scenes were finished and called out, "Papa, come back" in a most excellent and effective stage whisper. I'm not sure how long this went on--10, 12 scenes on the first night. Yesterday morning we finished the book, so we had to have another show to finish up.
Oliver says he's ready for the next book, _Garden of the Purple Dragon_.
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1 comment:
felicitious. that's a big word. now I know where oliver gets his smarts.
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