Mil Lel Primary School students were recently treated to a performance by popular children’s entertainer Peter Combe.
Mr Combe visited Mount Gambier several weeks ago for the Fringe but due to COVID-19 could not take part in any tours.
After being contacted by numerous members of the school community about the opportunity, Mil Lel Primary School principal Tamerin Condon booked the show for this month.
In the weeks leading up to the performance, students were introduced to the performer’s songs through a sound system in the school yard and by their parents at home.
The morning performance was attended by Mil Lel Primary School students, some students from Compton Primary School, members of the Mil Lel Primary School Parent Club and the wider school community.
Mr Combe entertained with 15 crowd favourite songs, finishing off his performance with arguably his most popular song Wash Your Face in Orange Juice (Mr Clicketty Cane) much to the fascination of adults and children alike.
Miss Condon said it was one of the best events the school had ever held.
“They were waiting for that song, and everyone cheered and roared as the first line of the song commenced,” Miss Condon said.
“He engaged brilliantly with the kids and has not changed at all from when I first started using his performances to educate in classrooms nearly 20 years ago.
“Many of my students would remember dressing up as frogs to sing Tadpole Blues, as sheep for Juicy Juicy Green Grass or newspapers to perform Newspaper Mama.
“For me, it was something I always incorporated into my teaching practice for assembly performances and let’s face it, who does not love a Peter Combe song?
“It was heartening for me to be able to share something I loved as a child with the kids I currently work with at the school.”
Miss Condon said she would have Mr Combe back every year if she could.
“It was utterly fabulous, he left everyone smiling and students could be heard singing his tunes around the school for the rest of the day,” she said.
“The parents also enjoyed it and were smiling, clapping and jumping up and down with joy.
“I am certainly hoping to bring more high-quality performances to the area, and we cannot always make it to the theatre, so it is always really nice to have someone see us locally at the school.”
Mr Combe travelled around the district entertaining various schools before heading back to Adelaide.
