Operatic Duck / Duck on Tour (3 page)

Chapter 6

The Grand March, With Duck!

The Farm looked magical at twilight. Coloured lights were everywhere, even the clothes line. Tea lights in brown paper bags filled with sand flickered along the path. The smells of cooking food and eucalyptus leaves, lingered on the warm air as families settled on their rugs with picnic dinners.

‘Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Welcome to our audience sitting here on the grass and those watching at home to “Aida at the Abbey”, a special community opera performance sponsored by Isis apartments. A great place to live by the river!' Mr Bigge boomed. The TV cameras zoomed around him.

Backstage, Ned was running around. ‘Spray these bin lids gold. They're shields in the Grand March! That costume's too big. Pin it on him.'

Duck was patting glitter gel on Horse and Cow. They backed into the chariot and didn't quite fit.

‘These wheels are wobbly,' complained the singer.

‘Lose weight!' yelled Ned.

‘Whose?' muttered Cow.

‘Beginners' call. Everyone on stage!' the Stage Manager called. Her day job was running the milk bar but tonight she was in charge of getting the show on the stage.

‘I'm supposed to be an Ethiopian slave and there's no black paint left,' moaned Old Bill, the Abbey gardener.

‘Here's a bottle of fake tan, use that.' Cate fixed her veils.

‘Doesn't Cate look beautiful,' whispered Duck to Cow.

‘Those ice cream containers make good headgear,' agreed Horse.

The band started up. Trumpets blew, the crowd cheered and the First Act went well.

At interval, Mr Bigge came backstage. ‘It's wonderful!'

‘Thank you,' said Ned. ‘We've put a lot of work into Aida.'

‘Yes, yes the show's fine but Mr Lee from Singapore has bought five apartments!' Mr Bigge boomed.

‘Hope they're not close to Pig's dinner,' muttered
Parrot, flying in with his silver streamers.

‘Act Two Scene One beginners! Get ready for the Grand March!' yelled the Stage Manager.

‘She's very efficient; I could use her in my office!' Mr Bigge raced back to his seat.

The King on his carved duck chair was carried in to watch the Grand March.

‘I knew that Luigi, the baker would make a great King!' Ned fixed his crown. ‘Break a leg!'

Sheep didn't think that was a good idea.

Pig's moment had now arrived. The lights dimmed. The trumpets announced the entrance of the Grand March.

‘Remember, Pig. You're a prisoner of the Egyptian king. You've been captured in battle. Look sad,' whispered Duck.

‘I'll do it my way.'

Pig was in purple, with a veil and gold chains around his neck and glow-in-the-dark purple nail-polish on his trotters. Surrounded by dancing girls, he belly-danced onto the stage. The crowd roared.

‘Pig's upstaging me!' complained the singer.

‘Cate, why are they doing Greek dancing?' screamed Ned.

‘Were you there in Ancient Egypt? Who knows what they danced!'

‘Are you nervous Cate?' Duck tried to help.

‘A bit. Haven't had time to practise. Ned sent me to collect bottle tops, old CDs, buttons and curtain rings from the Op Shop.'

‘That's why the armour looks great.'

‘Amazing what a bit of gold paint can hide,' laughed Cate.

Just then Goat's drums started.

‘Here come the Egyptian soldiers!'

‘They're wearing nappies!' squawked Parrot. ‘Someone should have told them how to put on their black eyeliner!'

‘Broom handles and tea towels make great banners, Cate.' Duck was impressed.

‘I'm on!' Parrot flew over the soldiers and the audience trailing his multi-coloured streamers.

‘Gloria! Gloria!' sang the chorus as Parrot flew.

‘You and Sheep are next, Cate.' Cymbals crashed, trumpets blew, and the bass drum boomed. On marched rainbow coloured Sheep. You needed sunglasses to look at Sheep. Cate and the other dancers in their coloured wigs were twirling and swirling around him.

The stage was full now with dancers, soldiers, animals and the chorus who were singing loudly. Duck wondered if the chariot would fit on.

The TV cameras zoomed in.

‘At last!' The singer grabbed the reins of the chariot. ‘March!' he ordered Horse and Cow.

‘I'll kick him into the river.' Cow lurched forward.

‘Just remember we look better than him. We're painted gold and he's wearing a nightie!' Horse chuckled and moved forward. The audience cheered.

‘Isis!' cried the Stage Manager to the backstage helpers.

Duck's moment had arrived. He had never felt so tall. His wings had never been so wide. Under the glare of the spot lights, he glowed. He was a Winged, Wheeled Wonder!

The tandem bike was beneath him pedalled by the red haired boy. The ladder welded to the back of the bicycle held the huge paper mache head of the Goddess Isis. Her metal coathanger wings, covered by white silky curtains floated in the evening breeze. Between her outstretched arms balancing on her staff was... Duck, the honorable duck of Ancient Egypt.

At the after-show party, Mr Bigge announced, ‘While I'm building the apartments, you'll be touring Singapore.'

‘Singapore?' Cate was surprised.

‘Mr Lee owns a theatre in Singapore and he wants your “Aida” to perform there.'

‘It is original,' beamed Ned. ‘Good thing we used animals instead of puppets.'

‘Duck on Tour!' thought Duck.