Last Thursday’s show at the British School was fantastically received. The assembly hall was packed (and very hot!) mostly with children and their parents. Sapana arrived around 2 pm to do a quick rehearsal and to check the sound and lights. The group seemed pretty nervous and wanted to do the run with the curtains closed! The Australian circus group, The Roof of the World, arrived shortly after we did—unfortunately they were one cast member down due to a sudden stomach upset… After a quick word from EBT’s director, Philip Holmes, the show began, the curtains opening to all of Sapana’s girls unfurling in a group balance which revealed Pramila (the group’s most recent addition).
The rest of Sapana’s performance went off without a hitch eliciting many delighted gasps and ruptures of applause from the audience. The Roof of the World performed immediately after us showcasing their various talents (poi-swinging, mime, magic, clowning and stilt-walking). The children giggled hysterically at the clowning and were suitably impressed by the magic tricks and the stilt-walker.
Here's the link to the article covering Sapana and the Roof of the World in the Himalayan Times this weekend. http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Dreams+of+better+tomorrow&NewsID=290474
We all went out for ice-cream to celebrate after the show, getting our cold treats in batches as the café didn’t have enough bowls to accommodate us all. The kids seemed happy and proud of themselves for performing in front of such a big audience. About 400 people showed up which makes the biggest crowd that Sapana has performed in front of to date!
On Saturday, Anya, the dancer who is volunteering her time to teach ballet to the Sapana kids, was finally able to give her dance class at the refuge in Godawari. The room is tiny and hardly large enough to run a ballet class but she managed somehow! All the kids enjoyed it and although they were laughing at themselves attempting to be graceful ballerinas, they also took it very seriously, trying to copy Anya’s form exactly.
As well as organising the show at the British School, I have been busy performing every night at the Nepal Tourism Board, playing the role of the “angel” in a production of Angels in America directed by American Deborah Merola. I offered my time in exchange for some publicity and fundraising opportunity for Sapana. I've stuffed over 500 envelopes with information about Sapana and EBT in order for it to be included with the programmes!
I've been rushing off each night to arrive for the 3rd act, just in time for my two short cameos. It has been interesting albeit tiring work but it's all worth it if we can raise awareness about Sapana in the Kathmandu performing arts and theatre scene.
I have been feeling quite sad recently as I now have to wrap up my time here in Kathmandu. I leave three weeks from tomorrow and will spend these last few weeks training with the kids on their various disciplines. Now that I’ve been here this long, I don’t feel like going home! It will be quite a culture shock to go back to the UK and I will really miss each and every member of Sapana...
In two weeks time we receive Ivan, the latest circus volunteer from Australia. I will have about a week with him before I leave to show him the ropes. He will be joined by another colleague from down under in July and the two of them together will be responsible for readying Sapana for their big Dubai premiere in October. I hope to write a few more post before I go after which time the next volunteer will take over this blog.
Zoe x
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