Sarah Bear's Blog: Swine Flu & Wind In The Willows

Hi everyone, Here’s an update of what has been happening for my last couple weeks of school.

Most people know that Swine Flu (H1N1) is going around the world. There have been a few cases of Swine Flu in Hong Kong. This past week before school ended on Thursday (it also happened to be my friend’s birthday) in the newspaper there was a warning the government might close the primary schools. No one in our class wanted that to happen because this year we are supposed to get a pizza party and watch Monster vs. Aliens as a good bye to primary school. Unfortunately, right around lunch, the government decided to close all of the primary schools. The middle schoolers still have to go to school. Ha ha. Nobody was very happy; we all wanted another week of school. The kids in my class who were leaving Hong Kong (myself and 4 other kids) had to return our instruments to our music teacher because there is a 5th grade band. I am a percussionist and my music teacher let me keep my drum sticks. So I got everyone to sign them and my shirt. Oh, well at least it was a memorable end to primary school.

Another thing I was afraid of was that the Faust show might get cancelled. That would have stunk. But, let’s back up. I’m in a show called The Wind in the Willows. For those of you who don’t know the story line here’s a quick summary.

There are 4 main characters, Rat, Mole, Toad, and Badger. One day Mole meets Rat along the river bank and they strike a friendship. Then they go to see Toad. Toad is a rich conceited gentleman who gets these obsessions. When Rat and Mole go to meet him Toad's obsession is a gypsy caravan so Rat, Mole, and Toad go on a trip. While they are on a trip a motorcar knocks the caravan into a ditch and Toad becomes obsessed about cars. He soon starts buying them and driving them recklessly. Meanwhile Mole journeys into the wild wood where the weasels are. When Rat comes they have to find shelter and they find Badger’s house. Badger is a grumpy hermit but is also very commanding and most people (even the weasels) have some sort of respect for him. When Badger hears about Toad and his obsessions he decides he must do something. They force Toad to stop driving but he steals a motorcar that he drives around. He is taken to court where he is sentenced to 20 years in jail. Then Toad escapes as a washerwoman with the help of a jailer and her aunt. When Toad is reunited with Rat, Mole, and Badger, he finds out that weasels have taken over Toad Hall. The four friends set up a plan to recapture Toad Hall. Then a big battle ensures. At last the friends take back Toad Hall and Toad changes into a humble man of integrity.

I was cast as Badger (in the picture above I am "in character"). We had about a month and a half of rehearsal’s leading up to our show. We performed three shows and as we went through them they got better, and better, and better. I am really proud of what we did and I’m sad that I can’t do it again. But when I go to Dubai I really want to keep going with it.

Well, that’s pretty much it. Good bye!!!!