Overview
When Pharaoh Kafele falls in love with Nafrini, a servant girl, the last thing he expects is for his own mother to poison her. Still, death is a part of life in Ancient Egypt, and Pharaoh remains intent on marrying his true love.
3000 years later, Verity and Reginald’s school trip to the British Museum takes an unexpected turn when two mummies awake from a very, very long sleep. Friendly and inquisitive, but permanently tongue-tied, the mummies latch onto the shocked children, eager for their help.
Can Verity and Reginald unravel the mystery of the mummies? Will Pharaoh and Nafrini finally get to tie the knot? Only if they can evade Inspector Bucket and Sergeant Spade as they frantically (and farcically) attempt to apprehend the elusive ‘mummy-smugglers’.
The book provides the full script with staging ideas, piano music and lyrics, character profiles and curriculum resources. The accompanying CD features all of the songs professionally arranged and sung by children. Backing tracks are also included for use where a musician isn’t available to accompany a rehearsal or performance.
A great all-year-round musical, perfect for 9-13 year olds, and great fun even for older children.
Synopsis
c. 1000 BC. Ancient Egypt is awash with activity (Call IT EGYPT), but Pharaoh Kafele is having lady troubles – in that he cannot find one he likes. He wonders how different his life could have been, as do his lowly servants about theirs (An Ordinary Life). As the song comes to an end, Pharaoh notices a servant girl, Nafrini, and falls in love at first sight.
Meanwhile, in 21st Century London, class 6W are visiting the Egyptian Exhibition at the British Museum. Their tour guide, Dottie, explains the mummification process to them in the presence of two bandaged mummies. The tour continues, but two of the children, Verity Butter-Scotch and Reginald Chimley, return to the exhibition space to find Reginald’s lost inhaler. After some prodding and poking around the mummies, they are terrified to their very cores when the mummies sit up and return to life. Once the panic has subsided, Verity and Reginald try to communicate with the equally scared mummies, who are clearly eager to remain with their newfound friends and follow them out of the museum.
Three thousand years earlier (or thereabouts!), Pharaoh and Nafrini have returned from a first date together and regale their respective friends, Baruti and Hasina, with what occurred.
Back in London, Scotland Yard’s finest crime-fighting duo, Chief Inspector Bucket and Detective Sergeant Spade – along with a gaggle of other coppers – have arrived at the museum to investigate the disappearance of the mummies (the bestest brains of scotland yard).
Elsewhere in London, Verity and Reginald, along with their ‘mummies’, head to the British Library via the Tube (going under ground) to research why the mummies may have returned to life, and who they might have been.
In Egypt, Pharaoh’s mother and sister are planning how to put an end (permanently!) to Pharaoh’s relationship with Nafrini. Secretly observed by Baruti, Pharaoh’s friend and teacher, they collect a vial of poison from an apothecarist and go to see Pharaoh, who is with Nafrini and has asked her to marry him (written in the stars). Pharaoh’s mother pours them both a glass of wine to ‘celebrate’. Pharaoh is about to drink from his goblet when his friend Baruti enters, warning them not to drink. But for poor Nafrini, it is too late. She has tasted her wine containing the poison and dies in Pharaoh’s arms.
In the British Library, Verity and Reginald finish reading a parchment written by the historian Baruti, revealing the truth behind the mummies. Verity asks the mummies if they have come back to life so that they can get married before entering the after-life. They have.
The following day, the police have received a tip off and are looking for clues (CLUES) in the British Library about who may have kidnapped the mummies. The CCTV footage reveals two school children may be involved!
Meanwhile, under Pharaoh’s watchful eye, the embalmer is finishing off the mummification process on Nafrini (The Balmy Embalmer). Clearly, Pharaoh has a plan which he hopes will lead to the two of them being reunited in the after-life.
Back in London, it is World History Day at school so Verity and Reginald dress up as mummies and, along with the real mummies, join their classmates in costume (Ancient History), having scheduled the mummies’ wedding for 1pm. But then the police arrive with a photograph from the CCTV footage. Moments later, the mummies have made a dash for it, with the coppers – and all the children - in hot pursuit (On The Run).
Having eluded the police, the mummies and the kids make their way to the registry office for the wedding. It is all going so well, until the police – along with the ever-helpful museum staff – gatecrash the party. Ever-resourceful, Verity persuades them that the mummies haven’t actually committed any crimes. The wedding is finally allowed to continue, and at last the mummies get to fulfil their destiny (Happy Ever After-Life).
