TEARS, JOY & BOREDOM
By Stuart Glossup

It was the day that every, well almost, every father has to endure. Your child's first school play. It was my turn last Wednesday at my 11 year-old daughters school play entitled "The Rocky Monster Show".

I should emphasise, because it is important, that this is happening in the final week of her final year at primary school. Come September she will start schooling at the local comprehensive. A nice school. However, a fearsome step for her. And a daunting enough task for me as I think that its the first tangible sign that she is growing up. Starting the "big school", as she calls it, means that sooner, rather than later, she will lose that touch of innocence she still possesses. Indeed, this hit me more and more during the school play.

The play was loosely based on "The Rocky Horror Show". Perhaps I should have realised by this time just what that was indication of in terms of the growing up stakes. I vaguely remember my school plays being about Noddy or Thunderbirds or some such children's TV show of the time. But here was my daughter starring in a play full of sexual innuendo. For example, one little girl (well little in terms of height) got the biggest laugh of the night when she complained that her toy boy had gone limp. What made things slightly surreal (some would say almost obscene) is that she appeared quite knowing about what she was saying. At least the headmaster had the courtesy to blush a little before letting out a great Liverpudlian guffaw.

Of course, my daughter was the best thing in the show. Her dancing was masterful (so it should be at thirty pounds a month for lessons), her singing almost in tune and her voice full of clarity and feeling. The rest of the show though was, alas, a mite too long. Two hours (excluding a refreshment break) long it was. And sitting on those chairs they have in primary school soon had my lumbago playing up.

It was pure joy watching her. At the end of the play, however, most of the parents were in tears. The ending included a song of farewell. Sang to the tune of 'Save Your Kisses For Me' it had the children singing about having to move on. One parent was so moved that she ran from the hall sobbing. Most of the others had tears in their eyes. My daughter put it all in perspective though when she told us; "I don't know why everybody's crying we're only going to another school. Not the other side of the world". She's growing up all right. But God knows what will happen when she does her last play at the new school.

Stuart Glossop
University of Sheffield
Department of Town & Regional Planning

About the Author
Stuart is 40 years old and has two children. Adam, 15, and Amelia ,11.
Stuart is a Senior Resident to new students and a teacher at the University of Sheffield.
Visit Stuart's Website