SCHOOL CONCERTS

Every year our school performed a concert.

The first one I remember is when I was in 2nd Class. I was the Fairy of the Pocket. There were lots of little girls dancing around in tutus - not sure of the story but one of the little fairies got sick and called in the Fairy of the Pocket to perform her magic cure.

I remember giving instructions about where everyone had to stand and requesting that they bring in a jug of milk and a bowl of apples.

We had been rehearsing this little play for some weeks and certainly knew all the moves and words and were all dressed in our pretty little dresses and ready for a perfect performance.

Everything was pretty much going to plan and then two little fairies brought out the jug of milk and the bowl of apples. We had always rehearsed with an empty jug and bowl but on the night the jug was full of milk and the bowl was full of apples. I can remember being completely thrown and started to giggle. The nun backstage was becoming really annoyed but each time I tried to say my lines and rotate around the jug and bowl to perform the magic act with my magic wand, the giggles continued. This was also contagious so that, to get on with the rest of the concert the curtain eventually came down and we were ushered off the stage.

The term 'it'll be right on the night' was not coined from this performance.

I don't remember getting into trouble or being in any way admonished but some parents and my mum and dad spoke about this for many years when talking about the convent concerts and it seemed as though it was quite a memorable hit.