Gallery: Roars of delight for Madagascar

A highlight of the last term was the roaringly good J2 production of Madagascar – A Musical Adventure Jr. 

Based on the much loved DreamWorks animation, J2 pupils took to the Vanbrugh Theatre stage to tell the story of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip Hippo and, of course, the hilarious plotting penguins as they embark upon an unexpected journey from their Central Park Zoo home to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. 

Performing to a full house in the theatre can be a daunting experience but the children rose to the occasion wonderfully, responding to the enthusiastic audience to lift their performances and create an unforgettable show. 

Abigail, India, Hattie and Ruben played the four main Zoosters with real conviction, displaying their strong vocals and dramatic presence whenever they were appeared on stage.

King Julien was expertly portrayed by Dravin as the outlandish character we all know and love from the film, delighting the audience with his spectacular entrances and robotic dance moves. 

The show featured a number of memorable musical numbers, including two songs by the whole cast; the superbly choreographed crowd-pleaser, Move It Move It and the moving finale, Together Forever. 

J2 teacher Mrs Parker directed the show and was incredibly proud of the whole year group. 

She said: “The children really came together to make the production a huge success. They were excited, engaged, unified and motivated, demonstrating amazing teamwork and really supporting each other.

“It is always a joy to see a whole year group – 3 classes – join forces in this way. I watched them grow in confidence, learn new skills and realise that they each have something unique to offer.” 

Thank you to the following, without whom the show could not have gone on:

• The children for their talent and enthusiasm
• Parents for providing costumes, support and help with lines
• Miss Savage for her expert work on the costumes
• Mrs Stevens for working her magic on the musical score
• Miss Gifford, Mrs Willis and Mrs Benson for their backstage help
• Mr Mannix for his technical wizardry
• Mrs Cronin-Wojdat and Mrs Garner for help with make-up and costumes
• All Junior School staff for their help, enthusiasm and encouragement 

Click on the image below for a gallery of images from the production: