Great Scot December 2019 Great Scot 158_December_ONLINE | Page 11

A treasury of piratical tales
The Tale of Periwinkle’s Treasure is a comical play with absurdist
tendencies; a historical fiction drama with a focus on pirates.
The play is a collection of three ensemble pieces inspired by the
Year 6 boys. It’s a mash-up of all that is great about Junior School
Drama, alive with the spirit of the boys’ collective creation, finely
crafted with spontaneity and nuanced boyhood thinking. It bears
the traces of a refined slapstick comedy which can be found on a
vaudeville stage.
The play presents an interesting and unusual take on the word
‘treasure’: a gang of unlikely pirates on the hunt for treasure, and a
mother who treasures her children after the tragic loss of her pirate
husband, Captain Periwinkle. How does an overworked mother
defend her children’s future and manage to ward off Captain Grace
O’Malley and her crew? Set sail with the Year 6 class of 2019 to
find out.
In the beginning of the year the boys began to investigate the
myths and legends of the great pirates in history. We were engrossed
by the tales of Niki na Meadhra – an Australian storyteller who was
commissioned to write and perform a piece featuring Grace O’Malley,
the first pirate queen.
This research led us to exploring possible themes for our play.
The plot was developed and characters were decided on. The
rehearsal process began shortly after.
The cast is to be commended on their mutual respect for, and
encouragement of, one another. Their independent thinking,
kindness and diligence has been clear when working with them.
The harmony with which they operate is evident in their performance.
The production of The Tale of Periwinkle’s Treasure is a triumphant
celebration of our Drama curriculum.
BOYS PERFORMING IN THE TALE OF PERIWINKLE'S TREASURE
TREMAINE PAVLOVSKI – HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL DRAMA
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot
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