Waimate Savage & Entertainment Club
This year the Waimate Savage & Entertainment Club is arranging its shows around themes, and on May 26 that theme was family.
Four generations of Buckinghams attended the afternoon concert in the Silver Band Hall to enjoy their and others’ performances.
After the usual start by "S’oup", with two "soppy" songs about parents, Amelia B. read a funny story about the Grinny and Granny Donkey. The audience enjoyed the story very much.
Five very mature children dressed for the night followed suit with the bed song Roll Over, rolling over and falling out of the bed on the command of the youngest and disappearing until the bed was left to one only.
Subsequently, Briar tapped her feet on stage and demonstrated her steadily improving skills with her recently successful dance routine, which won her a category championship. Using the stage well it allowed all to admire the difficult footwork.
Jordan B. stepped into his grandfather’s shoes and played the piano, showing that some things — like talent — run in a family.
Little Miss Universe Tapaita, dressed in Māori attire, showed us her winning performance on the song of Six60, showing her whakapapa in sign language. Her focus was impressive and we felt proud to have her on our stage, knowing that she had put our district on the world map somehow, all the way away in Turkey.
Alison made us laugh out loud with some funny stories, which were followed by "The Odd Couple" Pam and Ian, the original Bs. Ian quipped this was a Buckingham benefit concert.
Interval and raffles created a break before a funny skit about school pupils seeing too much. Teacher Jan made a pupil feel it was clear that their return to school was not to be expected.
After the team that was lined up to attend the national conference over King’s Birthday weekend presented three of their planned songs, all of the audience were treated to a trip back to their childhood.
Elizabeth explained the historical background of so-called nursery rhymes and these were sung in unison. The explanations of nursery rhymes were appreciated since they made clear one has to think twice before singing "Sing a Song of Sixpence", which deals with Henry VIII and his misbehaviour — who would have known?
Terri and her daughter Marissa went back in time with good oldies and took us to their time of Scouting with songs that allowed many to join in. The blanket with all the many patches underlined the importance of joint family history. Max and Bob created laughter with a left-handed skit and lost fingers because of it. Barry O’Neill was the last performer with three beautifully sung songs.
We finished with singing the closing ode and the national anthem, during which the youngest generation of Bs showed some dance moves, making us very hopeful for the club’s future.
An animated afternoon tea was a pleasant end to a very entertaining and interesting concert. Next month’s theme is shows — we welcome people to attend our fourth concert on July 28. See you there.
By Ina de Paauw-Fontein
