He's behind you!

As per my last blog entry, in the interest of teamwork I appeared in my work's pantomime. This is probably the strangest employer/work based event I've ever come across and only accepted the task as it was a non-speaking part. To remind you, I work for the Institute of Development Studies, which is like a university offering post-graduate courses but mainly researching methods to improve people's lives in developing countries. All serious stuff and the panto is scripted with interdepartmental jokes and a development sector themed story.

My role was to play a bored office worker in a meeting - just to yawn a bit and look at my watch. However, over the course of a couple of rehearsals I was to join in the chorus of the song and dance about. Before the dress rehearsals, it was looking like a complete shambles with people forgetting their lines or fluffing their actions. But it all came together rather well. Even Kerry liked it dismissing my worries of in-work jokes would go over her head. My boss played Shilpa Shetty rather well, camping it up glamorously (see picture). A few 'oh yes I will', 'oh no you won't' audience participations.

When it came to my scene, all went swimmingly with the extra duty of displaying the song's chorus and pointing out the words. The song was based on Beat It! by Michael Jackson but instead saying Post It! as in the yellow sticky notes. Not sure whether I'll stick it on my CV or take part next year if I'm still there.