We Just Can’t Wait to Begin - The Prion King | Addenbrooke’s Hospital Pantomime 2018

THE ADDENBROOKE’S PANTOMIME

Each year, clinical medical students (Years 4-6) at Cambridge University put on a pantomime to raise money for charity. In 2018, we performed “The Prion King” and raised over £10,000 for the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and Medicins Sans Frontieres.

It follows the story of Simbastatin (a 4th year medical student) and his friends as they navigate their first experiences of life on the wards. The evil villain Scarcoma (a paediatric surgeon-turned forensic pathologist) and his team of feral politicians plot to overthrow the dean of the Cambridge clinical school by unleashing the deadly Prion Disease.

Each year, panto is written, directed, arranged, choreographed and performed by medical students. It’s always an incredible experience for those of us involved in it, and a great way of making friends across year groups. This year, for the first time, we’re putting the musical performances up on YouTube - enjoy!

SONG #2 - WE JUST CAN’T WAIT TO BEGIN

The second song introduces our main cast of ‘good guys’ - Simbastatin, Naloxone, Cornelius, Shelly and Minnie, as well as a load of other students all placed on the same ward in the hospital. The students are filled with naive joy about what life in clinical school is like, and expect they’ll be saving lives as an integral part of the clinical team on a daily basis. This song is a culmination of their continued optimism.

OTHER SONGS:

1. Another day of fun (La La Land)

2. We just can’t wait to begin (The Lion King)

LYRICS:

[NALA] Clinical school’s finally here,

The day we’ve waited for

[SIMBA] It’s gonna rule that much is clear

Preclin was such a bore

[SIMBA] I bet this is a piece of cake,

The wards sound like a laugh,

[RAFIKI] Just wait until you’re an F1

We’re always understaffed

[ALL] Lectures prepared us for anything

Oh we just can’t wait to begin!

[MINNIE] Ordering blood tests

([SHELLY] what was that dear?)

[NALA] Analysing CTs

([SIMBA] what are they?)

[CORNELIUS] chatting up patients

([ZAZUSAN] excuse me?)

[S, N, M, C, Sh] It’ll be a bre--eze

([ZAZU] now see here!)

[S, N, M, C, Sh] Always finish by midday

([ZAZU] A patient a day keeps failure--(interrupted))

[S, N, M, C, Sh] We’ll have so much time to play

[CORNELIUS] (arm over Nala) I wonder if on my first day I’ll break a patient’s heart

[NALA] First you’d need a bath and sort that smell out for a start

[DOCTOR] (surrounded by ridiculous number of students) If this is where our hospital

Is headed, count me out!

I hate students

And Savannahbrooke’s

There’s private work about!!

[ZAZU] (flaps after her) We’re sending half the students to King’s Lynn!

[ALL] Oh we just can’t wait to begin!

[Sh+C] Learning on the ward rounds

[MINNIE] Helping run the clinics

[SIMBA] Acting in the theatres (everyone stares at him)

[NALA] Simba you are so thick (friendly)

[ALL] We’re finally meeting patients what a dream

Consultants will all want us on their team

We’re gonna save so many lives, you’ll see

Oh we just can’t wait to begin!

Oh we just can’t wait to begin!

Oh we just can’t wait to begin!

CREDITS:

Arranged and conducted by Benedict Morris.

Lyrics by Alex Butcher and Sushmita Ramanujam.

Choreography by Olivia Sharpe.

PSI donate 10% of my income to charity every year. Would you like to join me? Learn more about the 10% Pledge